The Unexpected
by HAWTgeek
Summary: When Annabeth found out she was pregnant, she freaked out and broke up with Percy. She had the baby, Sarah,and gave her up. Seven years later,they got another chance to raise their daughter. Will things go back to the way they were? Or is this permanent?
1. Chapter One

_**Chapter One:**_

_**Prologue:**_

Annabeth:

Okay, I'm going to be fine. We'll be fine. I'm sure of this. I'm Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. I wouldn't get pregnant at twenty one. It's just not like me, nor Percy. It just wouldn't happen.

But I was still late. I was weepy, always sick, and bloated for the last few weeks. So, I had to see, without a doubt.

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket, letting me know that the five minutes had passed. I pulled the droid x bar to let me get rid of the timer. So, I got up from sitting on my dorm room bed.

Three years ago, I got accepted into Harvard and Percy into New York University. We've been commuting to see each other this entire time, and, while it has put some strain on us, I couldn't live without him, or our meet-ups every two weeks. Percy had to stay back in New York for the last meet-up. So, it had been four weeks since I've seen him, and it's also been four weeks since I've been feeling like this. I've been spending two weeks trying my hardest to figure what the hell was wrong with me, and the only thing I could come up with was being pregnant, which I really didn't want.

I picked up the small test from my desk, praying to the gods it didn't hold a plus. I flipped it over and felt myself gasp for air.

Oh.

My.

Gods.

I'm pregnant.

_**XXXXXXXXXX**_

I pulled my car into the parking lot of Percy's apartment. I had called him about thirty minutes ago, warning him that I was coming up to see him. Sure he was surprised, but he said he was okay with that. I had thought about telling him over the phone, but I knew that wasn't the way to tell him. So, I got in my car and started to drive. At first, my plan had been to stop and get some coffee somewhere so I could really get it in my mind, but I then found that I was almost in New York.

I grabbed my purse, shut off the car, and slid out the key I had to Percy's apartment from my bag. I pressed the button to go up the elevator and waited until I finally got to his floor. I thought about just opening the door, but I decided to just knock on the door.

"Coming," Percy's muffled voice called out, and a few moments later the door was opened to where I could see Percy and he could see me.

He looked as perfect as ever, maybe even more so. His green eyes shined when he saw me, and I saw a smile cover his face.

"Percy, we have to talk," my voice sounded broken as if I was moments before crying, which I really was. His face fell when he saw the pain in my eyes. Without waiting for him to say anything, I walked in and started to drag Percy into his apartment. I plopped down on the bed, and he sat down beside me.

_**XXXXXXXX**_

"I can't believe it," Percy squeezed my hand like he was going to pass out.

"Yeah, we're parents," I nodded.

"So, um, what are we going to do?" Percy asked as he got up from the bed and got a glass of water that had been sitting on a dresser. I scooted up on the bed so that I could hug my knees. I thought about getting a drink, but I quickly remembered the fact that I was pregnant and couldn't.

"Well, um, it'll be over the over the summer that I have the baby, and there are a lot of great families who want to adopt out there-" I was about to keep going, but Percy cut in.

"What do you mean by that? _Adoption_? You're going to put our baby up for adoption?"

"Yeah," I looked at him as if it was obvious, "Perce, we're twenty one. We don't know how to raise a baby."

"But it's _our_ baby, not some random person who goes to an adoption agency and decides to adopt it. We just can't…" Percy closed his eyes for a moment, "give it up. I don't want our child to end up not knowing their parents and feeling unloved."

I sat there, completely stunned. I knew where he was coming from and all, but it was like he wasn't thinking it through. We had one more year of college left, and we lived in separate states. He was on a swimming scholarship, and I was on an academic scholarship. We wouldn't be able to keep everything up if we had a baby. We'd be on our own without any way of supporting ourselves, and we weren't ready anyway. I would never get an abortion, and little babies just about always get adopted. We could even try to get a family that knew about the gods and could keep the baby alive.

"Percy, we can't raise it. We're still in college. There's no way we can support ourselves, nor a little kid. It's insane," I tried to reason with him, but even I could tell my voice was mad.

"You and I both know we could make it work._ You_ just don't want a baby," Percy's green eyes were filled with disappointment. What did he expect? I'm twenty-one. My life is just starting. I couldn't handle having a child now.

"You're right. I don't want a baby because I know I couldn't handle it. Are you seriously saying _you_ want it?" I got up from the bed, crossing my arms.

"I didn't know my dad. I don't want to do that to my kid," Percy looked at me as if I were an idiot and it was obvious, which I hated. I was the daughter of Athena. _He's_ the idiot in this couple. How do I know he wasn't the one who forgot something, therefore starting this whole mess?

"So, is that was this is? Avenge your childhood by raising a baby when you're twenty? What the hell are you thinking?" I didn't mean to scream, but I was pregnant. Mood swings come with the territory.

"Look at _you_. _You're_ the one who is being selfish of not wanting to pay for your actions because you don't want to lose that pretty future you've been picturing since you were a kid. _I'm_ trying to do what's right here," Percy almost spat.

"_Selfish? Me?_ You want me to give up my life so that I can raise your kid?"

"_Our kid,"_ Percy corrected. That was the last straw. I grabbed my bag from the bed, making sure I left the key to his apartment on the bed, and started to walk out.

"Where are you going?" Percy pulled me back by my arm, and I looked into his eyes, unable to see what I had loved about him at that moment. Usually, I could name off a million things every time I asked myself, but I couldn't this time. I was too mad.

"Back to Boston," I pulled free of his grasp and decided to add onto the sentence just to make him steam, "Where I'm going to have the baby and put it up for adoption like I planned."

"I get a say in this, Annabeth. It's _my_ child," his voice was cruel, and it scared the living hell out of me.

"I'll make sure you don't get a say."

I walked out of the apartment, and Percy was too stunned to stop me. I let the tears fall when I reached the safety of the elevator. By the time I started the car, I knew he wasn't coming after me, and this really could be the last time I saw Percy Jackson.

_And it was. I went through the pregnancy, and I had a little girl, Sarah. I fell in love with her instantly, but I knew she would better off with some adoption family. I met a family through the agency, and they were perfect. So, I signed the paper, and she was theirs. Percy tried to intervene, but it was by a social worker. By then, Sarah had already been adopted, and a judge ruled the child would do better in their care. I saw him at the hearing, but we didn't speak. After that, I didn't see him. It was hard going back to camp. So, after a while, I stopped. I kept in touch with Chiron, but that was it. The last I heard about Percy was that he got his dream job in New York, but I didn't know anything else. Malcolm and I opened a company in New York, and it quickly became popular. Now, we own one of the biggest architectural firms in Manhattan. The last I heard about Sarah was that she was really smart, like me, and she was really sweet like her father. I cry every time her birthday rolls around, June 4__th__ to be exact. I thought about finding Percy and talking things through, but it hurt too much to do that. He was the father of my child, and he wanted to keep her. I knew Percy well enough to know that he wouldn't forgive me for putting her up for adoption. So, I just continued to live my life. I did that for seven years. And that is where my story starts._

_**Annabeth:**_

"I am so sorry to interrupt," my secretary peeped through the glass door of my office apologetically, "But there is a call on line two, and it's an emergency."

It was seven o' clock, which was pretty late for business, but Malcolm and I had a possible deal in California. There it was only four. So, for the last hour, we had been talking over everything. Malcolm was sitting on my desk, acting as if this was no inconvenience, but I knew his wife, who was currently pregnant with their first child, would be steaming by now.

I nodded to my secretary, Lisa, and averted my eyes to the business executives in front of me. Only one of them seemed to be my age, but all of the others looked like they were old enough to be his father or mother.

"I am so sorry. This will only take a moment," I nodded to them, and a Hilary-Clinton-Look-Alike nodded to me as if to say 'Go ahead.' Malcolm continued on with what we had been telling them earlier. I stood up from my desk chair and took the spare phone in the corner, where the camera couldn't see me. I pressed line two and pulled across a ginger attitude.

"Hello?"

"Is this Annabeth Chase?" the voice on the other end sounded serious, as if they always worked at seven, and around mid-thirties. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't tell where from.

"Yes, and may I ask who's calling?" I smiled as though I didn't have one of the biggest deals of my career waiting on me.

"I'm Celia Smith from the Clementine Adoption Agency," I felt my heart do a little tap dance and I couldn't hold back a gasp.

"Oh my god."

"Ms. Chase, this is rather an emergency. I need you to come down to Lenox Hill Hospital," Celia was about to continue, but I cut her off.

"Is Sarah okay?" my voice was flooded with worry. I hadn't heard about Sarah since she was three years old. I had always worried for her, but I didn't know anything.

"Yes, Mam, she's fine, but you need to come down here. It's about the people that adopted her. They died earlier in an accident. You and…" she trailed off as if she were looking up the name, "Percy Jackson are now legally her parents. We need to see you both to see where to go from here."

"Of course," I felt a single tear fall from my eye. I couldn't help it. I may get to meet my daughter for the first time in six years, "I'll be right over there."

I wiped away the tear and walked over to the desk where I had left Malcolm.

"I am sorry, but I have a family emergency and need to leave. Can we possibly reschedule?" I asked hopefully, unable to hide my mixed emotions at the moment.

"Of course, we will work it out with Mr. Johnson here," the Hilary-Look-Alike nodded at me as if she knew this was about a child, _my_ child.

"Annabeth, what is it?" Malcolm asked worriedly like the good brother he was.

"It's Sarah," I smiled warmly before nodding once more to the people on the screen and letting my smile grow as I left the room.

_**Well, here's the pilot. I was watching LIFE UNEXPECTED and kind of ripped off the idea, but this will be totally different. So, here it goes. I'm currently on page 117 of the Son of Neptune because I just got it today. I'm trying to make it last. So, I'm gonna wait until tomorrow to keep reading. So, I decided to finish this pilot. Cross your fingers :)**_


	2. Chapter Two

_**Okay, yeah, you can't really give a baby up for adoption without the dad's consent. Then, the whole legal guardian after the dead adopted parents isn't true either. But for the sake of this story, just go along with it :)**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Annabeth:<strong>_

I walked into the lobby of Lenox Hill Hospital, feeling my heart pound until I felt like admitting myself into the hospital for cardiac arrest. I took a deep breath as I scanned the room. Celia told me that she was on her way and would call me when she got there.

But there was someone I did _recognize_.

In one of the many waiting chairs, a 6'1 man sat, drumming on his black business suit. His sea green eyes were dim as if he was worried to death, which didn't surprise me. His black hair was shaped up to where it wasn't the mess I had grown to love when we were kids. My head banged, and it took all of my will power not to pass out onto the linoleum floor.

Percy.

Now that I thought about it, I remembered how she said Percy and I were _both_ her legal guardians. Of course he would come. He was the one who really wanted to keep the baby. It's only natural that he would show up. I took another breath and pulled myself together.

It was seven years ago. I could handle talking to him again.

But, with each step I took approaching him, I knew that wasn't true. I _couldn't_ handle it for a damn good reason. I had never quite got over him. I had tried, and I dated a lot of guys. But I never really got into a serious relationship. Instead, I focused on work, and that seemed to work out well for me.

So, there I stood, basically standing in front of him, shaking from the thought that it was actually _Percy Jackson_. My stomach flipped, and I could have thrown up at any moment. Percy, probably noticing how there was a shadow of a size six woman standing over him, finally looked up at me.

I felt my hard speed up again when his sea green eyes looked at me for the first time in six years. Panic registered throughout my body, making my face pale.

"_Annabeth_?" panic seemed to go throughout him as well.

"Hey, Perce," I smiled weakly, and he sat up as he motioned for me to sit in the chair beside him. I nodded along and sat down in the chair. If it was possible, things got even more uncomfortable. Percy nervously sighed, making me push my hair behind my ear uncomfortably.

I hated this beyond belief. We were just sitting there, letting tension fill the air. There was a lot to bring up. I mean, _seven_ years had passed. But I didn't want to talk about work, or my last boyfriend, or Rachel, or even how I put our daughter up for adoption. I wanted to know how he'd been. I wanted to know what job he had, if he ever got over me, or if he got married and maybe even had another child. I couldn't ask though. It wasn't the time, if it would ever be the time.

"So… how have you been?"

Alright, if even Percy knew this moment was awkward, then it was more awkward than when Chiron found Birth Control in my bunk and condoms in Percy's room. I thought about squeezing Percy's hand like I really wanted to, but I didn't dare.

"I've been good I guess. Malcolm and I opened an Architectural Firm, and the business is going great," I shrugged, nervously picking my nails. I looked down at my black, pin-stripe suit, wanting to throw up again.

"Yeah, I know," Percy smiled, "I saw all the billboards."

I let myself smile a little bit, and that fueled me to look over at him again.

"Yeah, Malcolm went a little far out with advertising," I blushed a little bit, "So, how have you been?"

Percy hesitated for a moment or two as if he hadn't really spoken of something. Sadness washed over his beautiful green eyes, and I started to feel a little bad about whatever was wrong. Percy bit his lip for a minute, but I guess he decided that he probably wouldn't see me again so he might as well spill.

"I was doing great until my wife filed for divorce about five months ago," Percy gripped his hand until his knuckles turned white. It was about that time that I noticed how he had a little mark on his finger where a wedding ring was supposed to be when it got to tight or something. For the millionth time in this conversation, I wanted to take his hand.

"I'm so sorry Percy," I knew it wouldn't help, and it would probably make him mad or something. Percy just shrugged, making me want to rest my head on his shoulder and clutch his arm like I used to do when he was upset back when we were dating. Then again, I would have wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him when I first saw him back when we were dating, too.

So, I couldn't do damn thing but sit there, considering we _weren't_ still dating and I _couldn't_ do what we used to do when we were dating, especially the having the daughter thing. Yeah, that wouldn't work out.

"The sad part is that when we were going out, she used to look me dead straight in the eyes and asked me who the hell ruined me so that I sucked at being a boyfriend," he smirked like it was all a joke, and he had gotten over her.

_If he got over her in five months, it probably took him no time at all to get over me…_

"And you _still_ married her," I smiled at his crazy actions as if no time had gone by and we hadn't split up because of a baby. Percy smiled as he looked up at the ceiling as though the memory was being played as a movie up there.

"Grover and Juniper were kind of pressuring me to settle down so that they weren't the only ones married out of the group and everything," Percy shrugged.

Juniper and Grover got married? When did that happen? I knew I was going to miss some things when I lost touch with everyone, but I didn't really think of this. So, Grover and Juniper are married. Do they have kids or anything?

"So…" I took a deep breath, not wanting to say what I needed to ask him, "Does Grover know about Sarah?"

"I planned on not telling him, but we were pretty drunk one day and I let it slip," Percy shrugged, like it was nothing. I was about to say something when a familiar face walked through the front door.

It had been seven years since I first talked to Celia about the adoption process, and it had been four years since I had last seen her. But she looked the same. Her auburn hair was still cut short, and she was wearing a pair of dangling earrings that was shown through the hair cut. Her amber eyes scanned the crowd to see where we were, and I'm pretty sure she was holding the same handbag from when I first met her. The tan leather matched the wrap dress of the same color, and the only thing slightly different about what she was wearing would be the black heels, a silver cross necklace, and the earrings. I swear that she may have worn that exact outfit while we met.

"That's her, isn't it?" Percy nodded towards Celia, and I felt sick to my stomach as I nodded yes. I really wanted to meet Sarah, but, suddenly, I felt like passing out into Percy's strong, insanely hot…wait, okay, his arms. She was already six years old, and she had been raised by her adopted parents for her entire life. What if she didn't want us as her parents?

I mean, she's a grieved six year old who just lost her parents, and how do I plan to explain why we haven't been raising her?

Celia, now knowing who we are, started to walk her high heeled walk to us. Percy tensed, and I couldn't think until she finally got to us. Both Percy and I stood up immediately to greet her.

"I'm Percy Jackson," he shook her hand gently, and I shook her hand anxiously.

"Annabeth Chase," I smiled, hoping she'd finally something about Sarah.

"I'm Celia Smith. I believe we've met before," Celia smiled, and I smiled as well as though the day signed the papers for Sarah wasn't imprinted on my brain.

_**XXXXXX**_

I sipped at the coffee Percy got all three of us a little while ago from the cafeteria. Sure, it was crap, but I needed the caffeine. For the last hour or so, Celia had been telling us all about what happened to Sarah over the years.

She knows that she was adopted, and the story to why we weren't raising her was because her adopted parents, Eric and Jill, couldn't have children and Percy and I felt so bad that we gave Sarah to her even though we loved her. She's really smart and mature for her age. She looks just like me, except for Percy's black hair. She attends a private school in Westchester, where she has grown up for years, but she doesn't like it over there. Jill and Eric had been thinking of moving here because they thought she would just love Manhattan. The mansion they lived in has already been sold, but her parents hadn't closed the deal on a place over here. She was left just about everything by her parents, but she can't get any of it until she's eighteen. Her dad owned a company and her mom-er, adopted parents- worked there. Sarah also knows about being part god, as does Celia who is a granddaughter of Demeter.

But the big moment of the conversation was when we could get a chance of getting custody of Sarah now.

"So, let me get this straight, we could be raising Sarah now?" Percy asked after taking another sip of the black coffee. Celia nodded and acted as though she wasn't upset about having to work at nine right now, but I loved that she was taking the time to do this. I couldn't handle it if I had to wait to know stuff like this.

I still couldn't believe it.

Just this morning, Sarah had been one of the last things on my mind. I could never have imagined that I was not only going to see Percy again but that I could get custody of my daughter, who I hadn't seen since three months after she was born.

"It was left in Sarah's parent's will that you be tracked down and that you try to take care of her, but, if you want, she can go to her Aunt's home in Tennessee," Celia nodded as she looked over the papers in her lap through the dim lighting of the Hospital lobby. Sarah, who was currently asleep in a hospital room, would be spending the next few days here, which was perfect timing to figure all of this out.

"I want to take care of her," I spoke up, and Percy looked at me with shock for a moment. I knew what he was thinking. I was the one who put her up for adoption in the first place because I didn't think I could handle being her mother, but, six years later, I was telling a social worker that I wanted my daughter back. Percy has every right to be surprised, I suppose.

"I do, too," Percy, smiling as if he were proud of me, nodded to Celia, and she beamed.

"Wonderful, alright, usually a judge wouldn't give custody to a separated couple, but, as her birthparents, you have a pretty good chance. Alright, at your currents residences, do you have room for Sarah?" Celia asked both of us, and I mentally went over the floorplan of my apartment.

I lived four blocks away from my job so that I could stop by starbucks, two blocks away, and then head straight to work. The place was pretty nice, I guess. It was a condo three doors down to my brother, and, even though Malcolm says he was tired of living so far away from work, I know they moved there so that they could help with their future child. There is room for Sarah, definitely. It was three bedrooms, and I was using one currently just to sit there.

"Yeah," Percy answered before I could, and I nodded along with him.

"Okay," Celia made a check on a notepad and went on to the next thing.

"What do you both do for a living?"

"Um, I co-own an Architectural Firm," I told her, hoping I got it right.

"Is it demanding?"

"Currently, it isn't that bad, but my co-owner is going to be taking a few months off work when his baby is born in a few weeks," I knew this time I didn't get it right. I silently hoped that Percy's job wouldn't be demanding, but I knew the gods wouldn't be that nice to me.

"And you?" Celia turned to Percy, who I noticed had already finished his coffee. He set the empty cup down on the end table beside him and turned back to look at Celia, who had taken a chair to pull it to sit infront of both of us earlier.

"I'm CEO of a surfboard company," Percy shrugged, and I had to admit, it sounded a lot like Percy. He was smarter than he let on-a CEO after all- but he loved water too much to not work with something having to do with it.

"It's demanding during the day, but I get off at five. After that, I'm off the clock," Percy added before Celia could ask the next question. Celia nodded as she wrote that down in her notebook. Still nervous, I picked off a piece of lint from my suit.

Everything was off about this day. First I'm staying overtime when Rachel had set up a blind date for me(ugh!). Then I get a call that my daughter's adopted parents have died and I need to come to a hospital. After that, I see my ex for the first time in six years. Once that ordeal was done, I'm stuck giving my life story to a Social Worker so that I can get my daughter back.

"Okay, Percy, you mentioned being married before. Do you have any other children?"

Percy tensed at that question like it was a sore topic for him. I didn't know why though, but I had a feeling it involved his recent divorce.

"I thought I did…but my wife found out she was pregnant with someone else's baby and that's why she left me," Percy seemed to be ashamed of it, and I didn't blame him. Not only was she cheating on him, but she conceived a child with that man. I thought about taking his hand and calling her a stupid bitch, but I wasn't much better. Percy always wanted to be a father, and I just didn't want to raise a baby so I put it up for adoption even when I knew he didn't want to. Yeah, it was his baby, not some random person that I cheated with, but I still let him down.

"Alright," Celia, probably figuring out that her looking at him with pity wasn't helping him, looked back down at her notebook, "So, anything else you might want to add?"

I half expected to hear Percy say something funny and random to lighten the mood, but he didn't. I didn't know if his ex-wife had ruined him or if he just knew now really wasn't the time, but I missed it. What am I saying? I've missed him, everything about him. I stopped by Harvard for an alumni meeting, and, when I passed by the dorm I used to live in, I almost had a heart attack from missing Percy. When I first moved back to New York, I used to open my eyes, thinking I'd see Percy and his old apartment. But I never did, and I always ended up sighing and trying to smother myself with a pillow.

"No," Percy shook his head finally, looking a little depressed for some odd reason. I waited a minute or two until I finally asked the question that had been on my mind the entire time.

"Uh…When…When can we meet Sarah?"

Celia looked up from her notebook and smiled warmly at me as if she knew when she first met me that I would ask her that. She looked from me to Percy for a moment, but she looked back at me to answer.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over for today, but tomorrow I will meet you here and introduce you to Sarah," she stood, and both Percy and I did the same. I noted with smug satisfaction that I was almost at Percy's height in my heels, but I brushed it off.

"It was wonderful to meet you," Celia shook Percy's hand, and he nodded saying the same. I proceeded to follow in their actions, and Celia was about to walk away when she remembered something.

"Oh my god, I forgot to give you this," Celia zipped open her tan purse to bring out a wooden box the size of a cigar box. She handed it to Percy and nodded at both of us before she left.

Percy and I looked at the box and then at each other. Percy was the one to open it, and I swear, he could have cried when he saw the contents. I stepped closer to him to get a better look, and I felt the same way. It was a box of Sarah's life. The picture on the top was a picture of Jill and Eric when they first got Sarah back when she was about six months old. Even back then, she looked like me. Somehow, Percy and I managed to sit down at the same time, and we held the box in between both of us. Percy took that first picture for a better look, and I took one beside it. This one had to be from when she was three years old, and she was in a pool, probably learning how to swim or something. I averted my gaze back to the box where I saw another picture.

"Percy, this is what she looks like now," I rested a hand on his arm to show how shocked I was and to snap him out of the trance he went in when he looked at the first picture. I grabbed the picture out of the box, and we both looked at it, completely mesmerized.

I knew the picture was what she looked like now because, in front of her, there was a birthday cake and a '6' candle that had just been blown out. She turned six this may, which was only two months ago. Jill was standing beside her, and I couldn't help but notice that she only looked to be thirty-five and she was already dead.

"She's beautiful," Percy smiled at the picture of Sarah, and I nodded, letting a tear fall.

Sarah looked exactly like me except for having Percy's nose. Her bright smile made me want to cry for missing it. Her black hair was a curly mess that reminded me of Percy more than I thought possible. I saw an orange tee shirt that reminded me a lot of a Camp Half Blood tee shirt, but I didn't know if that it was.

"She's our daughter," my voice cracked, but neither of us cared or really noticed. We were too busy looking at her. Knowing that we had a daughter was very different from actually _seeing_ her. That was when fear kicked in.

What if I'm an awful mother? What if Percy tells her the _real reason_ she was put up for adoption?

What if she doesn't want me for a mother?


	3. Chapter Three

_**Annabeth:**_

"Are you two coming back tomorrow?" Sarah's little voice asked us both, making both Percy and I stop in our tracks. I let a smile play across my lips. For the first time in the last two hours, I didn't look at Percy to see what he was doing. I just let my ankles twirl myself around on the slippery, linoleum floor to face Sarah.

She was sitting up straight in the bed, holding the notebook that she had been showing us her drawings only a few minutes ago. Sarah wasn't in the accident with Jill and Eric. Instead, she had been with her aunt who had come to visit in Westchester. Sarah was here because she was so shocked when she found out that she fell down some stairs and hurt her head. They transferred her here so she could be near her father, who had survived for a while. Jill died on impact, but Eric was on life support for a while. Everyone knew that he wasn't going to make it, and his sister took him off life support yesterday. Sarah knows her parents are dead, which hasn't been good on her.

"Of course, Sarah," I couldn't imagine not coming back.

Today was the first time that I really met her, which made me want to cry. She took a liking to Percy immediately, and he fell in love with her the moment he saw her. She was okay with me at first, but something stirred in her later. Once she started talking to me, she couldn't stop, and I didn't want her to, like _ever_, which was really scaring the hell out of me.

Usually, I just want someone to shut up. I know how that sounds, and I'm not just being a bitch. I don't know why, but I don't like sitting around listening to stupid stories that I don't care about. I get small talk, but the thing is that, unless I really care about someone, I don't care. I don't want to hear the story about how they just named their new cat after a cat that their grandmother used to have when they were five before her sister moved in that was allergic to cats. Actually, I don't know_ anyone_ who really cares about those stories.

But, as I sat here, I wanted to hear about why her favorite stuffed animal was names Bea, or why she hated pink with all of her being, or why, instead of the usual ballet, she is taking swimming lessons. It was amazing to talk to her. It wasn't like I was talking to a six year old, but I felt like I was talking to a combination of Percy, me, Sally, and Malcolm. And, when I got a little tired of talking to the Percy side, the me comes into play. I don't think I have ever seen Percy smile that much, and I do mean _ever_. I would have been insulted any other time, but it was it freakin daughter. So, no offense taken.

I smiled warmly at Sarah, which somehow lightened Sarah's mood.

"I promise we will, Sweetie," I told her, watching as she approvingly lit up.

"Bye, Percy," she told him, and I think her 'cutie-pie' voice made him want to swoop him in his arms and kiss her forehead while she laughed like a maniac.

_Like he_ used_ to do with me…_

I shook that off as he told her goodbye as well, and the nurse warned us that we _really_ had to leave. So, Percy and I did as she said. I let the clack of my heels against the floor become the only thing to calm me through the awkward moment. I slid up my purse on the black cardigan that went over the dress of the same color. Percy ran his hands through his black hair as if it would give him strength to do something. My heart began to pray that it involved swooping me away to kiss me like when we were younger, but my head told me it would be something like 'See you tomorrow'.

"I'm proud of you," Percy closed his eyes like he just couldn't find the right words, "She's going to love you, Annabeth."

I let myself smile a little bit, and I looked down for a moment, not sure what to tell to him. I was proud of him, but I also knew that he was going to be able to do this in a snap. He was just meant to be a dad, and anyone-or should I say _everyone_- can see it.

"She _already_ loves you," I nudged him, and he let himself smile. Percy looked like he was about to say 'you're wrong', but he just let himself laugh a little.

"Well, I love her, too," Percy looked down while he smiled, which should have made me uncomfortable, but I definitely wasn't. So, I took it as that moment to tell him something I wanted to tell him for the last few days-more like _years._

"I really am sorry, Percy," my throat involuntarily closed as I tried to choke back a sob. I used to think I did the right thing for Sarah until Jill and Eric died, leaving me to realize just how much I loved Sarah. I used to think that I wasn't meant to start a family. I didn't know my own mother. So, how did I plan to become a mother myself?

I could tell Percy felt awkward about this all. This would always be a sore subject for the two of us. I put our daughter up for adoption when I knew he wanted to raise her. The worst part is that I knew for a fact that he was right. We could have pulled it off. I managed to become valedictorian even though I had just had a baby earlier in that year. Percy and I could have made the Boston-NYC thing work, and I know we both could have raised little Sarah. It would have been hard, but we easily could do it. My mom, who would be reluctant, would eventually help me. She'd be a bitch to Percy, but she'd willingly help me and Sarah.

I bit my tongue and began to hope that the sound of my heels would make me feel better, like it had earlier, but it just made me feel unconfident in my ability to keep myself from falling and in need of a drink. So, I tried not to listen to it. The only thing I concentrated on was the uncomfortable silence between Percy and I.

"You were right, Annabeth. I really wasn't ready to be a dad," Percy tried, but, by the way I looked at him, he could tell I wouldn't believe that if he tattooed it on my forehead. There was no way in hell that I would ever belief that he couldn't be a dad, especially when he was basically begging him to let him be.

I wanted to say something, but I really couldn't think of _anything_ I could say. Even being a total bitch to him would have been better than how I was just walking down a hallway without saying anything because I thought I was going to throw up. Percy took a deep breath, probably knowing we would never be able to talk about how what happened with us and Sarah.

"Let's go get a drink," Percy smirked.

And for like the first time in the last few minutes, I smiled and nodded.

"Come on, Father Dearest," I let myself blush as I took his hand and started to pull him off.

This was only the second time I had touched him in seven years. I took his hand after being stunned last night, but this, in my mind, was the first time I really touched him. I felt the familiar tingles from holding his hand, but it didn't bring a smile like it usually did. Instead, it reminded me of how he wasn't feeling it and he probably never would again. I was stuck feeling like this while he had moved on, gotten married, gotten divorced, and found a life here. To me, he'll be that guy I've loved since I was a kid, and he will see me as the girl who put his daughter up for adoption.

_**xxxxxxxxx**_

I woke up to the sound of my cell phone blasting the beginning to 'Rock Your Body'. For a moment or two, I tried to pretend that I didn't hear it and force myself back to sleep.

Last night went just how I thought it would, even though it wasn't how I hoped it would. Percy and I went to a bar, got a drink, and talked for a little bit. We never got under the surface. Everything we said was either about work or Sarah. By the time we left the bar, the night was about as young as Sarah. We only had two drinks each. So, I caught a cab home, and he went god-knows-where. The only time he touched me out of the entire time was when I hugged him goodbye, and that was just about it.

When I got home, I checked my messages, where I found out that my brother was going to take hour off the next day to take his wife to the doctor. I ordered Chinese and ended up watching Letters to Juliet for the millionth time while I worked on some blueprints.

I used to love my life alone. I really did. I could come in whenever the hell I wanted, and I could do just about anything I wanted. But, at about this moment, I realized that I came in early. I didn't really want much. Ordering out every night just didn't fit me anymore, which made me miss Percy and Sarah more.

So, finally getting completely bored last night, I started working on Sarah's room. I ended up using post its and a million drawings until I could finally see a layout that _could_ work, if she wanted us. Sarah could easily go to live with her aunt in Tennessee if she wanted. She liked us, but she also knew that we-well, me- put her up for adoption. Sarah could resent us- okay, fine, me- and not chose us, and that scared me. So, I tried not to think about it, but, when I stared up at the ceiling, trying to go to sleep at midnight, it was all I could think about.

I rolled over in the thousand-count sheets and looked at the Droid X sitting on the nightstand, ringing off the hook. Foggily, I grabbed the phone from the charger and pressed it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"I've been trying to get in touch with you forever. You stood up Mark a few days ago. What happened?" the redhead on the other line sounded as if it were ten am-not five. I wanted to hang up and smother myself with a pillow, but I simply sat up in the bed, expecting a lecture in my near future.

"Good morning to you, too, Rachel," I smirked as I stood up, ignoring how my body was begging me to go straight back to bed.

"Annie, I know you say you're fine, but I think you and Mark could work out really well," Rachel ignored my first comment and went on about Mark, _again_. She knew him through some charity they both worked for. He worked at the same level she did and was awesome from what I heard. The last time she came over here she showed me a picture, and I have to admit he's cute. Over the last few weeks, she's told me how great I would be with him until I finally snapped and said I'd meet him. Even without knowing him, I already know his entire life story.

His dad left when he was four years old, and his mom was a chef. His uncle, George, became like a father to him, and his mom married some guy when Mark was seven. They had a son, Walter. They found out that Walter had cancer when Mark was twenty-two, and he has spent the last seven years of his life working for charities.

And if I know Rachel, she probably told him my life story, which means there is a man in New York City, other than Percy, who knows that I never knew my mom until I was about sixteen and I had a very bad relationship with my dad until I was about thirteen. Maybe he knows even more.

"Something came up," I put Rachel on speaker as I made my way to the kitchen. The last time I had really made a meal in here was about a year ago before I went on a diet. I was a size six when I got pregnant with Sarah, and, after she was born, I tried my hardest to get back there. For five years or so, I did that successfully, but, right after my sister-in-law decided to make me take a cooking class with her, I started gaining it back. When I realized I was a size ten instead of size six, I basically banned myself from cooking, or at least the Italian cooking that Malcolm's wife taught me from her grandmother.

"Something came up? Something always comes up. You have only been on about four of the many blind dates I have set you up for!" Rachel started to rant, and I took that as a good time to bite into a blueberry muffin, "Unless you suddenly heard from your daughter or Percy showed back up in your life, you have no excuse."

I could tell she was joking, but I wanted to congratulate her for being spot on. I hadn't had time to tell Rachel about what happened with Sarah yet. So, I just sat there, not knowing what to say.

"Oh my gods! Sarah?" Rachel shrieked like she might faint. I pulled myself up to sit on the countertop and pulled the phone back to my ear, turning off the speaker.

"Her adopted parents died a few days ago, and it was apparently left in the will that Percy and I be tracked down to get custody of Sarah," I didn't mean to sound like a schoolgirl only a few moments away from Summer Vacation starting, but I did. Sue me.

I thought I messed up with Sarah years ago, but I'm getting a second chance, which is like the best blessing from the gods I could ever get. Sure, I'm probably still going to pray to Aphrodite that I could get Percy back, too, but that is beside the point.

"_Percy_? You're going to be raising your daughter with _Percy_ and you _didn't tell me_?" Rachel yelled again but I don't think this one was out of happiness this time.

"Sorry, I've just been pretty busy," I told her even though I knew that wouldn't cut it for her. She would want me to be in a coma if I didn't tell her. I reached beside me and started up the coffee machine as I awaited her response.

"I'll deal with you not telling me later, but what's up with you and Baby Daddy?"

"Don't call him that," I quickly interjected, but she probably just shrugged it off, probably about to call him that again.

"Okay, fine, what is going on with you and _your daughter's father_?"

I wished I could have told her that something was between us right now, but that would be a lie. He didn't care anymore, which made me want to hit my head against something. I bit into the blueberry muffin again as if the sudden sugar would give me the power to not want to throw something when I answered the question.

"Nothing," I let the sorrow fill my voice.

Rachel seemed to be caught off guard by that statement. I had sworn for years that I was over him, and she probably thought that I would keep saying that. But I was tired of lying all the time. Who the hell was I even trying to fool? Everyone knew I hadn't gotten over him. So, why try to say I have?

"So, how's Sarah?" Rachel quickly changed the subject, which I was really thankful for.

"She's great."

_**Sarah:**_

"Sarah?" a voice broke me out of my deep sleep. I had been sleeping more than usual recently. The nurse says my body needs sleep to heal itself, but I know it's because my parents just died. I groaned before finally opening my eyes to see a woman at the hospital door.

"Celia," I smiled as I started to sit up in bed. With the obvious approval from my smile, Celia proceeded to walk closer to me and sit in the chair beside my bed. Before I looked at her, I quickly checked the clock beside me.

Ten AM.

Annabeth and Percy wouldn't be here for a long time, and my aunt was going to be in Westchester all day, preparing for the funeral. My eyes watered at the thought that my parents would be buried tomorrow, but I shook it off for the sake of Celia.

I had met her a few times when I was younger. I only saw her a few times, but that started to grow when my parents told me I was adopted last year when I started to notice that I looked nothing like any of my family. Celia was the woman who helped my parents adopt me, and she's been like an Aunt to me.

"Hey, Cutie, how ya' holding up?" Celia smiled at me, which seemed foreign to the looks my aunt had been giving me. She just looks at me like 'You poor kid', and there are times when she thinks I'm not looking where she looks as if I caused her sister's death. My parents had been driving home to Westchester to make my end of the summer swim class, and I guess she blames that for their death. It's not like I wanted my parents to die. I didn't mean for all of this.

"I could be worse," I shrugged, not looking away from her.

"So, do you like Percy and Annabeth?" Celia smile grew, and I knew that this was going to count as more than just small talk.

"They're my parents, aren't they?"

Celia looked at me with surprise. It wasn't that hard to figure out. I look exactly like Annabeth and partially like Percy. I'm just like both of them personality-wise, and Percy's fatherly look was more _fatherly_ than Eric could ever manage.

"How did you know, Sarah?"

I shrugged, not really wanting to explain it. I really just _knew_. No one had to tell me, and I didn't even need to see how they acted like my parents. I guess the truth is that I _wanted_ them to be my parents. I didn't want the stupid teenagers who had a child at Prom or anything. I wanted them, which felt kind of weird. I loved my parents, but they didn't get me. My mom wanted me to do ballet, and, when I said no, my dad signed me up for something tomboy_ish_ like soccer. It took me almost a year to get my mom to repaint my pink room, and the only way I got that was because I said that it reminded me of Pepto Bismal and it made me want to throw up. I could see that Annabeth hated pink and wouldn't dare paint a room for me like that, and I knew Percy would ask what I wanted to do, not just signing me up for something. I know that sounds petty as my parents just died, but still.

"I guessed," I smirked, making Celia shake her head as if to say 'Definitely Annabeth's kid', which kind of creeped me out.

"So, what does this all mean? Them showing up and everything?" I asked, toying with my locket.

"Well, that's all working out still. I was about to ask you if you wanted to stay with them or if you want to go live with your Aunt Renee in Tennessee," Celia smiled at me.

I pulled on my locket a little harder. I knew I loved Percy and Annabeth and that we would get along really well, but I didn't really know them. I knew Aunt Renee, even if I didn't really like her that much. I used to fly up to see her with my mom every summer, and my twin cousins, George and James, weren't _that_ bad. But I knew if I said no to my birth parents, I would regret it. Every time something went wrong with my aunt, I would be wondering what would be going on if I had just stayed with Percy and Annabeth.

"I want to go with Percy and Annabeth."

_**Annabeth:**_

I sat in my office, picking at a box of sweet and sour chicken as I looked over the blueprints of Olympus one more time. I finished it last year, but, sometimes, I need to look at it to get some inspiration. Well, that and Poseidon wants me to rebuild that game room that got destroyed.

I made a little change to Poseidon's game room when I heard my personal cell phone ring. Because it wasn't 'Rock Your Body', I knew it wasn't Rachel, and I didn't know of anyone else who would be calling me at this time. So, I pulled my phone out and pressed the send button.

"Hello?"

"Annabeth, it's Celia Smith," I could hear the happiness in her voice. I instantly dropped the chicken I had shish-kabobbed _**(What? You know I suck at spelling)**_ back into the box and sat up straighter to answer the phone.

"Oh," I didn't know what to say other than to be that weird shocked and anxious thing, "Uh, hey."

"I spoke Sarah today, and we had a conversation where she said that she wants to live with you and Percy," Celia seemed unfazed than how awkward I had sounded earlier. I was about to scream 'Yes!' when I thought of something.

"So, she knows that Percy and I are her parents?" I asked, sounded like a giddy school girl.

"I was going to have you and Percy tell her, but she actually guessed," Celia told me, and the only thought I could register in my mind was: "_Definitely My Kid"_.

"Oh my God," I smiled, holding a hand over my mouth wondering why I was smiling.

"I contacted her aunt, who was her second choice, to all this, and she wants to meet up with you and Percy before this deal goes through. I need to meet with you and Percy later today to set a hearing date which will need to be within the next few weeks. By then, you both need to have a possible school for her, a place for her to stay at your home, and so on," Celia proceeded to give me a speech she had probably told a million people, but I didn't mind. Instead, I hung on every word she told me and couldn't hide a smile.

This time I was going to make it up to Sarah….and maybe even Percy.


	4. Chapter Four

_**As you will see in the memory, I was watching EMO BREAK-UP on Shane Dawson when I first started writing this chapter. **_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Annabeth:<strong>_

"_Alright, go to the link at the bottom for part two," I told Percy through the phone. I was spending a few weeks with my dad before I went to camp. High school seemed like a blur now that it was over, and thank the gods it was over. I had been told that my senior year would be fun, but the truth paled to what expectations everyone had told me. _

_Maybe for them it was fun to parade around with the name 'Senior' as though it would make you forget the torture of the rest of high school. They may have enjoyed how some people were partying to the max because they knew that they were going to peak in high school. Someone might of even liked the constant competition to become valedictorian, which I won by the way. Prom was a drag as I had to go to two of them. The one at my school was so quote unquote 'perfect' that I hated it. Plus, Percy and I hate dances. So, it was pure torture both times around. When that was over, I was packing up my room and working on Olympus. By the time Graduation rolled around, I could have slept for a week. My dad had me get packing and come home to California with him. I only had a few weeks until I was heading back to New York and then to Boston where I would be attending Harvard. _

"_Why are we watching Emo Break-Up?" Percy smirked as I bit into an Oreo._

"_Because we can, Seaweed Brain. Now, press the link," I ordered at him, and, with a small laugh, Percy did as I said. I listened to the beginning music and watched as the video popped up. _

"_Okay, I vote she's pregnant," Percy said as the emo girl walked out of the room. _

"_Dude, it's been like two seconds into the thing. Why do you think that?" I asked. _

"_It's a gut feeling. I'd think I'd just know."_

"_Oh come on, you wouldn't even know if I was pregnant," I smirked as I bit into another Oreo. _

"_I would, too."_

"_Oh you would so not," I watched as the movie continued to play, but Percy wasn't done with this conversation._

"_I would know if you were pregnant now."_

"_How?"_

"_Are you pregnant now?"_

"_No," I sounded unfazed, but I felt like hitting him through the phone. What? If I were pregnant, the only way he would know would be that I was going through five stages that are very close to the break up stages: denial, anger, sadness, anger again, some more anger, and then acceptance. _

"_That's how I know."_

_Ten minutes later:_

"_Dang it, you were right," I pouted as I pressed the 'X' on the web browser. I took out the blueprints for Olympus I hid under my bed. My dad didn't want me working while I was here, but I couldn't just _stop_. Dad and the boys were out at a baseball game, and my step-mom was on girls night. Since I didn't feel like doing either one of those, I just stayed home, telling them I'd call Percy or something. My dad wouldn't be back for a while, and I only need to fix just a little problem. He can't freak out about that, can he?_

"_Hey, I gotta go. Grover just showed up with a pizza," Percy told me as if he had told me that his mom wanted him to clean his room, not his best friend showing up out of the blue with a pizza. I wasn't fazed though. Grover used to do that when something went wrong or amazingly awesome. Fight with Juniper? Show up at his friend's house with a comedy and a pizza. Bad grade? Pizza and a horror movie involving a teacher dying. An awesome grade? Pizza and the episode of That Seventy's show where Eric decides to become a teacher with all of his friends. Decided to propose to Juniper on Graduation? First, go to Annabeth with something sweet, then go to Percy with pizza and beer. _

_What? All of us almost die every year. He didn't want to waste time with her, and, besides, it's more of a promise ring to get married 'some day'._

"_Oh how I miss Grover's life updates with pizza visits," I smirked, "I love you, Percy."_

"_I love you, too, Annabeth."_

I looked at Percy across from me. Sarah was in Westchester for her parent's funeral, and it was about time Percy and I actually had a conversation.

If we're going to raise our daughter together, we have to work together. At least, that's the pep talk Celia gave us. I was worried that we wouldn't get passed the surface, like we always seemed to. We knew things about each other like why he got divorced and stuff like that, but we hadn't really talked about anything. I took another sip of my Starbucks coffee and let the caffeine run through my veins. We agreed to meet here yesterday when we both got the call about how Sarah chose us. I had no idea how this thing was supposed to go. Do I just go straight to the point or try small talk?

"Alright, so, we need a hearing by the end of this month," Percy told me, and, following a nod, I continued it.

"And a school for her. The school year is starting up soon," I looked him in the eyes as I said this, which honestly made me pretty proud of myself. When I thought of school, I thought of how I used to wait and wait until summer finally would come and I could see him. Then again,_ everything _reminds me of him. I guess that's what happens when you're with a guy nine years.

"Of course," Percy nodded and probably made a mental note of something.

Silence began to join our conversation. Around us, the coffee shop was full of life and laughter, but we weren't. It was like the rest of the world was separated by a glass, and we were stuck together, unable to say anything. I didn't know what to do other than just sit there. We screwed up big time in our past, and we just can't seem to put it behind us. I want to. I want to get rid of all that pain and let him see me as the Annabeth he used to love, not the one who gave up his daughter.

"So…" I was about to say 'Sarah' when I realized it wouldn't be a good idea. Right now, she was the glue that held us together, and I didn't want it to be like that. We couldn't always talk about Sarah. Yeah, this meeting was about Sarah, but I don't want all of the times we see each other to be like that. I want us to be able to have a nice, peaceful conversation.

"Have you started on Sarah's room?" Percy smiled warmly, which made my inside turn to mush. I ignored how I felt like a teenager whose biggest crush had just said 'Hey', and I nodded to him.

"Yeah, I'll need the approval from her, but I have it planned out," I smiled as I looked into his perfect eyes. My knees went weak, and I started to thank the gods that I was sitting down so I wouldn't have looked so pathetic, falling down just from looking in his eyes. He held my gaze for a few moments before shifting, making my smile fall a little bit.

"Juniper has everything planned, right down to the color sheets," Percy smirked, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking 'Like you probably would have done…' Either way, I smiled at the thought of Juniper because I hadn't seen her in years.

"How is Juniper?"

"Well, she and Grover got married a year ago next week, and they have a two month old son named Tyler," Percy shrugged.

"Big year for them."

Percy let out a small laugh that could have reformed even the Grinch into wanting to be just plain wonderful. Now that I had seen him again, I couldn't imagine how I survived these seven years without him. At first, I focused on school and acted as if I hated him. By the third trimester, I knew I missed him, but I also knew I couldn't raise a baby. That's what he wanted. So, I couldn't have him. Life went on, and I continued to say that I hated him, meaning it less and less as the years went on. Now, I didn't mean it at all. All I wanted was him and Sarah, which were the things I gave up all those years ago. I wanted to fix everything, but he wouldn't let me.

I squirmed in my seat. I felt bad enough about everything. Why do I keep bringing it up?

"I meant what I said at the hospital two days ago," I looked down at the coffee cup.

"About needing a drink?" Percy smirked even though even he knew _exactly_ what I was talking about. I looked deeply into his eyes, for once not feeling butterflies or wanting to throw up.

"You know what I mean," I told him, not looking away. Percy quickly averted his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. Finally, he shrugged.

"Oh come on, I shouldn't have gotten so upset because you saw that two twenty year olds who lived in separate states couldn't raise a baby," Percy was about to say something else, but he tried to stop himself. Finally, he decided that he might as well tell me.

"And I should have gone after you," his voice was so small that I could barely hear him.

"What?"

Percy, who I think could have been blushing, looked down at his cup of coffee. He shut his eyes tightly as if he felt like curling up into a ball and dying. I didn't look away from him though. He opened his eyes and squeezed his hand until his knuckles went white.

"I should have…" Percy summed up his courage, "_gone after you, Annie_."

I was about to cry, but I pulled myself together and into a smile.

"You just called me _'Annie'_," I smiled warmly at him, and he simply hung his head.

"Alright, how about we call it a truce?" Percy ignored my first comment.

I had to admit, it was really appetizing to let it all go. I wouldn't think about it, and it wouldn't be hidden in everything we told each other.

But we wouldn't forget it. It would stay with us like scars.

"Okay, a truce," I shrugged, "But you still called me 'Annie'."

Percy laughed for a moment and took another gulp of his coffee, rolling his eyes.

_**XXXXXX**_

I turned off the car's engine, looking at the house in front of me. Lush grass was shining in the warm afternoon sun, blinding my eyes. I don't think I've ever seen grass so green, and a little girl in a black dress was letting her feet sink into the grass, creating a big contrast. The brick house stood out of the hot summer sky, making me wonder how this place was only an hour away from New York City. The house looked just like the other ones in the Westchester country club. The beautiful home made me need a long nap from how picture perfect it was. Up the side walk, a tall woman stood on the porch, and a little girl, hearing the voice of the woman, came from the front yard and up the sidewalk to her.

The woman intimidated me as her cold glare looked at my Infiniti. I opened the door to walk up to the drive way and to the house. The woman's long, brown hair was tied up into a bagel-like bun. The icy look in her amber eyes made me want to throw up. Her bony wrist held onto Sarah closely, and her high cheek bones and thin face reminded me of a Russian for an odd reason. The woman's thin lips pursed when she looked at me, and she finally let go of Sarah. Finally smiling, Sarah ran straight to me.

I pulled her into my arms and kissed her cheek.

"Annabeth," she squeezed me tightly, and I finally let her go.

"I want you to meet my Aunt Renee," Sarah began to pull me to the twenty-something woman on the porch. Somehow, the cold glare of the woman made the warm summer air evaporate for a winter chill. I couldn't imagine her being related to either Eric or Jill. From the stories Sarah tells us and from the few times when I met them both, they sounded sweet and caring. But this woman didn't look like that.

She reminded me of the nuns at the catholic school I spent two years at in New York or the queen of the gods herself. If Hera could have any demigod children, I'm pretty sure this is what they would look like. I couldn't imagine this woman having twin boys as Sarah had told me. Her skin looked Botox-fresh, and she looked much too cruel to handle a child. The sweet smile she gave Sarah made me relax a little until she finally looked at me. The mothering look in her amber eyes quickly changed to one of one of those mean girls you saw in high school.

"I'm Renee Tompkins," Renee's lips turned into a superficial smile as if she were trying to find all of my weaknesses in just one glance. I pulled myself together and nodded to her.

"I'm Annabeth Chase."

"Sarah, why don't you get to your room? I need to talk to Annabeth for a minute," Renee didn't even bother to force her eyes to seem sweet when she looked at Sarah as she told her this. Sarah looked at me for a minute as if pleading for me to run for my life, which didn't comfort me much.

"Alright," Sarah's voice was small as she let go of me and went through the front door. Renee watched her lovingly go as if she was a simple housewife whose big accomplishment was Sarah, and of course her size two body. When Sarah closed the door behind her, the love evaporated, and she suddenly reminded me of those women I see crowding up Sax Fifth Avenue with her cold glares and beautiful face.

"So, you are Sarah's birth mother?"

I was a little stunned, but I brushed it off. That was why I was here, and she didn't want to waste time with small talk. Okay, I can handle that.

"Yes, I am," I nodded, wondering where she was going with this.

"Why'd you put Sarah up for adoption?" She crossed her arms across a Chanel business dress, which I had in the back of my closet. I silently made a vow to give the dress to Rachel because now, I would only think of Renee when I wore it again. If it hadn't been for her heels, she would have been a good five four, but you would never think of her as short. Somehow, her long legs made her look about five ten.

"I was young, and I didn't know how to raise a baby," I told her quickly, not taking the time to process why she had asked.

"What about the father?"

"What about him?" I asked with a smile. Sure, I didn't want to give her my life story, but, if it helps me get Sarah, I'll do it.

"Where is he? What happened with you two?"

"He lives in New York City. We got in a disagreement about giving up Sarah, and it quickly pulled us apart."

"Why did you suddenly come for Sarah? It's been six years since you gave her up."

Now that one I couldn't handle. The way she looked at me was the way that a woman looks at a pregnant fourteen year old. I could have explained that I wasn't sixteen like she imagined, but that didn't matter. I made my mistakes, and she has no right to judge.

"I gave her up because I knew she would have a better life here, but her parents are dead. I'm just trying to be there for _my daughter_," I felt like snarling but I didn't dare. If she wanted, she could raise hell for me and Percy about this, and neither of us wanted that.

"You do know I was her godmother," Renee looked at me as if I had just stolen her boyfriend, not taken custody of her niece, "My sister trusted _me_ to raise her."

"That's not what the will said," I smirked, and her amber eyes widened. I felt relieved about finally saying it, but I also felt stupid for screwing this up.

"Excuse me, I need to help Sarah pack," I was about to find Sarah, but she pulled me back by my arm.

"If you hurt her, I will take her back in a second," the cruel look about her didn't intimidate me this time. I knew she was serious, though. If I made one misstep, she'd be packing Sarah's bags for Tennessee. I called on my reserved strength to not scream at her for threatening me. Instead, I took a deep breath and remembered that I was here for Sarah.

"I understand," I removed her bony wrist from my arm and walked through the front door.

A six year old girl sat on the wooden stairway, holding her head in her hands. Her grey eyes lit up when she saw me, and she immediately got up, smiling. I started to wonder if Renee had dressed Sarah as she was wearing a dress quite similar to Renee's. I brushed off that thought as Sarah came up to me and took my hand again.

"Follow me," she smiled bubbly and started to lead me up the stairs, "Aunt Renee can be scary, but she's nice when you get to know her."

I smiled at her and looked around the house. It had all been packed up. I remember Celia said that the family had sold the home. So, I guess everything would be packed up, but everything felt weird about this place. There weren't any spots were they had put up pictures or anything, and the scheme of the house seemed to be crème. Everything looked perfect as if no one had ever lived here. I started to wonder how life would have been here for Sarah. This doesn't seem like the place you could have a child. Once up the stairs, Sarah proceeded to lead me across the soft, no-stains white carpet to the second bedroom to the right. She opened the door, and I was a little stunned.

"I thought you hated pink."

Everything seemed to be pink in this room. The painting above a twin bed-covered in everything pink- was the word 'Princess' in hot pink cursive. What looked like a homemade quilt had fairies in random colors all dancing on pink. A pastel pink desk sat with boxes on it. The house was being sold furnished, and I could see why Sarah definitely didn't want to stay here.

"I do," Sarah sighed as she looked around the room. I couldn't imagine how she was feeling. Sarah had grown up in this house, and suddenly, her parents died. Her birthparents showed up, and she was leaving the only home she had ever known to move to New York with two people she barely knows.

"When's Percy getting here?" Sarah asked hopefully, making me smile. I looked at my watch. He was supposed to _already_ be here. But no, he was late. That whole thing with Renee would have been a whole lot easier if he had been there, too, but, of course, he was late.

I was about to answer when a knock came from the door behind me and Sarah's face lit up.

_Found him…._

"I'm late, huh?" he smirked, and I simply rolled my eyes when I turned back to look at him. Sarah ran straight up to him, and he pulled her into a hug.

"Percy," she smiled when he held her up.

"This is really… _pink_," Percy looked around the room with Sarah still in his grasp. I nodded to him, and he didn't say anything. Instead, he set Sarah down and assessed the place. It was weird looking at him surrounded by pink.

Well, no, it was _hilarious_, but still weird.

"We're supposed to take the boxes because the new owners are coming in a few days," Sarah looked around the room like she couldn't wait to be done with this place.

_**One Hour Later:**_

I shut the truck of my Infiniti and grabbed the keys from my blazer pocket. Percy had most everything, but I don't think he cared. I took a deep breath as I looked back in the direction of Renee. Her diamond tennis bracelet and matching necklace seemed to be the only two things that didn't completely depress you when you first looked at her. Percy walked from the car behind me to stand beside me.

"Calm down, Annabeth," Percy whispered in my ear, and I nodded to him, not looking away from Renee.

"I'm…fine," I lied. Percy looked at me skeptically before walking towards Sarah, who was talking to Renee about something. I followed him, wanting to take his keys and drive away because his car was blocking mine.

I watched as Renee shook her head at Sarah, and Sarah did the puppy-dog-eye thing. I didn't know how Percy wasn't scared of Renee. I mean she was Biotch de la Biotch. Who the hell wasn't scared of her?

_Apparently Percy…._

"Buh pwease, Weneh?" Sarah did the 'wuh' and 'uh' thing Percy used to do when he was trying to talk me into something. Going to see the latest James Bond movie instead of watching 'She Gets What She Wants' for the millionth time? Say 'Anniebeth' and 'uh' at the end of everything. Skipping class to drive down to the beach? Beg and wrap his arms around while saying 'Pwetty, Pwetty, Pwease'.

"Sarah, James and George are looking so forward to seeing you," Renee told her in what supposed to be a playful manner, but it came more across as 'Total-Bitch-Making-Fun-of-You' than that. Suddenly, I got a craving for a blueberry bagel and strawberry smoothie from Panera Bread for some odd reason, and I really wished I could just get on the road and as far the hell away I can get from Renee and the couture hotspot of Westchester.

"Fine," Sarah pouted and crossed her arms across a 'Westchester Junior Swim Team Summer Camp' tee shirt. With the approval of Renee-ugh, by the way, Renee wanted Sarah to stay in that depressing black dress all day- Sarah changed into jeans and that long-named-tee shirt. But I was still suck in pin-stripe Armani business suit and Prada heels that made me want to cringe about the pain as I had forgotten my gel inserts.

"Okay, Annabeth and I need to get going, Sarah," Percy took the liberty of talking first as I was scared to death of Renee-yeah, _still_. Renee's gold glare washed over me, and I pulled myself together so that I didn't look like a new freshman trying to stay out of people's way on the first day of school.

"See you tomorrow?" Sarah asked us, but I could tell it was aimed at Renee.

"Sarah will be staying with me for the next week or so. Then…" she cringed, "Sarah will be off with you."

Her thin body tensed when she said that as if she had just said 'And my husband will take away my unlimited Amex and won't even give me a limited edition black diamond necklace, bracelet, and matching drop-down earings!' instead of 'Sarah will be off with you'. She twisted her right wrist as if the sight of her diamond tennis bracelet cheered her up and fiddled with her matching necklace. Now that she had let her bagel-bun had been let down, her diamond stud earrings had been covered up, which I knew if her hair didn't look like Angelina Jolie would make her so depressed that she would have to twist her five carat diamond ring around.

"So, I guess it will have to be awhile, Sarah," I smiled warmly at her, partly wanting to twist the black pearl necklace around my neck just to make Renee mad.

Sarah pretended that she wasn't pouting, but I don't even think Renee fell for that.

"Bye, Sweetie," I smiled at Sarah. Looking into her eyes sparked a memory inside of me…

"_I hate you," I collapsed onto the sandy beach, soaking wet. Percy did the same beside me, and my heartbeat sped up again._

"_You…" deep breath "took the dare."_

"_Shut up, Percy," I smiled as I stared up at the stars above me. _

_The night had started out normally. I snuck out of my cabin to _talk_ with Percy. It was the summer after Freshman year of college, and we had spent basically the entire summer together after we had spent so long commuting Boston-New York. Percy and I went to the lake as it was out favorite place. Thirty minutes and make-out session later, he dared me to jump in the lake. I said I would do it if he did it with me. I had expected him to say no, but he didn't. We made a deal that he would let himself get wet and I would jump in with him. Both of us stripped to our underwear and jumped in. Somehow, we ended up racing, and, when he beat me every time, I kept racing him. I ended up losing my earrings that I forgot to take off, and I was too tired to look for them. _

_Percy sat up on his side and wrapped his arms around me, getting sand all over my bare stomach. I ran a hand through his black hair as he looked at me. The bliss from him holding me tightly blanketed me better than the warm summer night air ever could. His beautiful, sea green eyes shined brighter than the stars so that I couldn't look away. _

"_I love you, Percy," I told him, feeling like the moment would never it. It was like the world around us disappeared and it was just us, the stars, and the beach. _

"_I love you, too, Annabeth," Percy smiled as he leaned in to kiss me. I could have passed out when his lips met mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and I could feel his lips smile in the kiss. I couldn't remember a time when I was more in love with Percy Jackson than that moment. Everything was gone. We weren't thinking about school or the drive to see each other. The gods were the last things on our mind. The only thing that _was_ on our mind was each other._


	5. Chapter Five

_**Annabeth:**_

"No, Dad, I'm fine," I sat the last box down in Sarah's room. Renee-_ugh beyond belief-_ was dropping her off in three days. My hearing was tomorrow morning. Percy and I set up an appointment to see some schools in Manhattan by our apartments and work due for five days from now. It was almost August, which meant school was coming up soon. Well, that and Percy's birthday and what could have been the twelfth anniversary for us. Of course, we would never bring that up to Sarah. She and Percy were going to see his mom, who hadn't met her yet, and no one would be stupid enough to bring up what happened on his sixteenth birthday.

I told my dad a few days ago about Sarah, and he's been calling me nonstop since. When I first told him I was pregnant, he flew up to Boston to see me and stayed for almost a week. He dropped in every now and then, and I skipped camp that year to stay with him in California. It was with him that I put her up for adoption. He even helped me pick Jill and Eric out for her.

Now, he couldn't go a day without calling me and asking me about her or what was going on with the whole situation. If he knew Percy's number, I'm pretty sure he'd call and ask him, too. I love my father, but he doesn't have any grandchildren other than Sarah. He and my stepmom only had two boys, Matthew and Bobby.

Bobby lives in San Francisco where he is currently still in school. Once out of college, he plans to become a lawyer, and that career is really important to him. He'll never settle for _anything_ less, and a girl might get in the way of that. Right now, he says that he just wants to have fun for a while. His twin, Matthew, is a tad bit different. He spend almost all of high school trying to get into Oxford, which he did successfully. He's dating a girl over there-Maggie?- who is one year younger than him. He doesn't know if he wants to return to the states once he's done with school, and, if he does, she'll be out of the picture faster than you can see 'Goodbye'. I met her once when I flew up there with my family to go see him, and she didn't seem like the kind of girl for him. Either way, it's clear to see neither of them are planning to settle down any time now. So, Sarah is the only grandchild, and he wants to spoil her rotten.

"Annabeth, you just met your daughter after six years. I think you need a break. You must be under such stress," my father's voice of reason told me through the phone. I sighed heavily. I had been hearing this from everyone around me. First, Rachel told me I needed to take a breath and relax. I did that for an hour or so, but she didn't believe me. So, I had to go on a shopping spree yesterday with her for the hearing- which was pure torture I might add. Percy said I needed to calm down _repeatedly_. Malcolm took away a client from me saying it was causing me unnecessary stress. Then, somehow, I got stuck shopping with his wife for baby stuff. Whenever someone tells me calm down, it usually means I'm about to have to do something I _really _didn't want to do.

"Dad, I am fine. I don't need to take a breath. I don't need to get out of town for a while, and I don't need suggestions about what I should do from everyone. I just need to get this done."

I know everyone is trying to help. I get that, but they're not helping by doing this.

They're right. I'm scared. I don't know how to raise a child, especially a six year old. I don't know her like a mother should, and I can't stop but worry about Percy. He won't tell me anything, especially about his ex-wife. I don't know why though. You basically have to force him to talk. Otherwise, I think he'd never say anything again. How's this whole shared custody thing going to go?

And work is hard for both of us. Say we both have meetings that we can't skip? Who would take care of Sarah? And who gets her for what holidays? She also has to see her adopted family. We have to somehow work that in. Oh, and let's face it. That bitch Renee is probably going to show up here every now and then. I can't take that. I just can't.

I shook the thought of the diamond-covered Renee, and I went to Sarah's closet. I hadn't been in here since I moved in here about three years ago, and I had no idea what to expect. I pulled the door open to see a bunch of boxes on the floor and a dress hanging up.

I rubbed the familiar black fabric between my fingers and remembered everything about the day I first wore it. My mom gave it to me for a fifteenth birthday present. It lasted two years on me before I pushed it to the back of a closet, and it was in that dress that I did a lot of things. I went to my first dance in California in it. I went on my first date with Percy in it. I went to an Artemis Hunter open house (I was only there to see Thalia) in this dress, and I was wearing this dress during the big 'I love you exchange' with Percy. I hadn't been able to get myself to get rid of it even though it didn't fit me at all by now.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. I'm just looking out for you," Dad's voice snapped me out of the trance of memories the dress gave me.

"I know, Dad."

I left the dress on the hanger, not really sure what to do with it. Saying I'd think it over later, I took a Swiss Army knife out of my jean pocket and cut the first of three boxes open. It held random things, mostly pictures of Percy and I or just random events. I pushed it back and went to the second. This one held a Harvard sweat shirt and little things that I couldn't get myself to part with. On top, a worn, stuffed owl smiled at me.

_My grandmother's warm smile looked down at me. It was supposed to help me, but it just made me feel worse. The fabric of my flower girl dress scratched at me, making me squirm in my seat. I had tried not to look behind me to where my new step-mother would be appearing, but I watched with horror as my father's face lit up. I didn't need to look behind me to know she had entered. _

"_Stand up, Annabeth," my grandmother's warm brown eyes looked down at me. I had never seen them so electric. It was like I was staring at the stars they were so bright. I did as she said, barely able to see past all of the adults, but I managed to see Susan. Her chocolate brown eyes were looking nowhere but at my dad, and she was holding a bouquet. A white, frilly dress, which was very similar to mine, made a 'swish' sound as she walked, and I didn't think I had ever heard anything so awful. When my grandmother sat down, I followed her example. I could have died as I watched my father and Susan __**(A/N: What was her name again?)**__ smile to each other at the altar. _

_I squeezed the stuffed owl my mom had given me as if it would make her suddenly appear and stop this all. I hadn't seen my mom in almost a year, and it was all Susan's fault. My mom used to come see me a lot, but then Daddy started dating Susan. Mom stopped coming as much, especially when he proposed to Susan. It had been eight months ago that it happened, and everything had gotten worse since then. She moved in last week, and she's acting as if she's my mom. She's not. Athena is, and I don't want Susan. I want _my_ mom. _

_As I sat there, watching the wedding, I began to picture my mom there instead of Susan. Her blonde hair would be up just like Susan's, but she wouldn't be wearing the same dress. She would be wearing something Greek and beautiful, not old and stuffy like Susan. Daddy would be smiling wider, too. _

"_I do."_

_The words seem to echo around the room, and I couldn't handle it any more. I pulled the doll up to my chest and squeezed it harder. Usually, my grandmother would have told me to smile and put the doll down, but she was too busy watching as her only son got married. I had to avert my eyes from my father to my Aunt Mary who was wearing an awful blue dress beside Susan. Aunt Mary looked away from Daddy and looked at me as if she sensed I needed her. _

'_It'll be okay, Annabeth,' she mouthed at me and smiled. I can't say it helped me much. Daddy was still marrying _Susan_, but at least _one_ person cared about how I felt. Daddy hadn't even asked me how I felt about this. He thought I was so happy to have Susan as a new mom, but I didn't want her. I wanted her to leave us alone. Life was perfect before he met _her_. I was the girl in his life, and he loved me more than anything. Mommy used to come visit me all the time, and I loved it. But, he didn't care. He went to that stupid party, and he met Susan. And he dated her. And he's _marrying_ her. My eyes began to water at that thought. _

"_I know it's sweet, Annabeth," Grandmother wrapped her arm around my shoulders and smiled. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was crying because I was sad, not happy like her. The minister looked at my father, and my heart skipped a beat. The pastor asked him the question, and Daddy looked at Susan. His mouth opened to say something. _

"_I" _

"_Mommy, please make him say 'don't'," I mentally prayed. _

"_Do."_

I looked at the doll, about to cry. I liked Susan now. Well, I didn't _hate_ her, and I accepted that they married and had kids. But I would trade her for my mother in a heartbeat.

"Dad, I have to go," I choked back a sob. I didn't feel like talking to anyone. I just wanted to get this done and have a drink. My childhood still makes me emotional. It wasn't exactly a happy time, and I don't want it to be like that with Sarah. I want her to be able to smile on her childhood like Percy can.

Percy made my heart sink lower. I looked down at the next box, and I knew exactly what was going to be in it. I only had a few pictures of Sarah, and they would all be in that box. Given my delicate state, opening it wouldn't be a good idea.

"Alright, I'll call you tomorrow after the hearing. Good luck, Annabeth."

"Thanks, Dad," I wiped away a tear before I hung up the phone.

As if it could calm me or something, I looked around Sarah's room. It had been painted her favorite color, green, by my wonderful brother. Anything pink was gotten rid of immediately, and everything else seemed perfect. I stared at a poster of Sarah's favorite Olympic swimmer. Sure, she'd always see a role model who made his dreams come true, but I saw an insanely hot Adonis-like guy. I smiled at the thought of Percy at his first swim meet, and it felt way better than the depression I had earlier. I stood up and put my cell phone in my back pocket.

I returned to the boxes I had left at the doorway. Both Percy and I call Sarah every day. So, we found out what she wanted. My room for her was green, and Percy's was ocean-themed. I had the technology **(A/N: I can't stand the idea of no technology because I'm a total techie. So, demigods can use it)** and he had the water. It was like she got the two rooms she always wanted, or said she wanted anyway. I took out my boxes from the closet and put in hers. I didn't know where she wanted what do I just left it there. I took away the black dress, half wanting to throw it out, but I didn't dare. I put the faded dress down on the one of the boxes and set it ontop of the only closed one. Once that was hidden in the back of my closet, I came back for the third.

I stopped in the doorway, unable to breathe.

"Mom?"

The woman turned around to look at me, her grey eyes assessing everything about me as it had been three years since I last saw her. Her lips formed a crisp smile at me, almost making me want to cringe at how it reminded me so much of Renee. Athena moved her arms from where it had been crossed against a black business suit. The look in her eyes told me that she wasn't just here for a friendly chat. She had business to attend to. _My_ business.

"Annabeth," she smiled and stepped a little closer to me, her heels clacking against the hardwood floors. Athena was using the same form she had always used for me and my father. She always had this same face when I saw her, of course she dressed differently. Usually she wore jeans and a grey peasant blouse when I saw her as a child, but, by the time I finished with school, she started dressing like me. For public appearances, not that there were many, she looked old enough to be my mother, but she stayed like this in private. Her pale skin reminded me of one of those vampires in Twilight. Her thin body couldn't have been older than twenty seven. Her many pearl necklaces jangled as she walked closer and closer to me, along with the matching bracelets on her right wrist. The only ring she wore was a college ring that my dad gave her. She knew I loved it when she wore it.

"Oh how I've missed you," she pulled me into a hug, and, though the grey tweed jacket scratched at my skin, I hugged her back.

She had been the opposite of thrilled when she found out I was pregnant. She threatened to disown me until I explained everything about how I left Percy, planned to put the baby up for adoption, and how awful I felt about things. I guess her mothering instincts kicked in, and she was there for me when I put the baby up for adoption. We agreed not to speak of it, and we didn't while I finished Olympus. I didn't see her much after that. I guess she had other kids to handle. I didn't mind though. As time went on, it showed that she regretted talking me into letting go of Sarah, and I didn't like to think like that.

"I guess you heard about Sarah, huh?" I asked, masking how vulnerable I felt at that moment. Seeing my mom did this to me. It reminded me of that little seven year old girl who ran away from her father because she felt rejected.

Athena released me and nodded.

I didn't know how to feel about it. She _already_ knew she was born. So, what's the big deal? But the way she looked at me made me feel bad. I felt like a twelve year old girl watching as my mother looked at Percy and I disapprovingly. The urge to make her proud began to overpower me, and I hated feeling like this little girl. I was in my late twenties. Why was I so obstinate to make that disapproving look disappear?

"I am so happy for you, Annabeth," Athena warmly looked at me.

_Where's the 'but' in this sentence?_

"But…"

"And there it is," I mumbled.

"Annabeth, I know how you are for Percy, but…" she trailed off as though she didn't know how to finish this sentence without insulting me. It was too late though.

"Mom, I'm getting custody of _my daughter_ who I haven't seen in _six years_, and you care about how I'm still in love with _Percy?"_

Athena shut her eyes as if she were dealing with a thirteen year old who thought they had the world all figured out.

"I'm trying to make sure things are going to be okay for my daughter and granddaughter," she looked at me, her eyes saying "You'll understand this someday." But I wouldn't. I knew that if this had been some other guy she'd stay out of the way, but when the son of her enemy shows up, she can't step back.

"Mom, is this about Percy or is this about how he's the son of Poseidon?"

Athena hesitated for a moment. I didn't need an answer after that. She cared about who his father was and that we had Sarah when we were so young. I wanted to say 'You do know it took two, right?' but I wouldn't dare. She was a goddess, even if she minored as an overprotective mother.

"I'm trying to take care of you."


	6. Chapter Six

_**Annabeth:**_

My stomach felt empty, and it was the only thing keeping me from throwing up. I hadn't been able to eat this morning. I drank some coffee, and I ended up pouring a shot of vodka in it just to calm my nerves. My hearing with Percy was this morning. Renee showed up, diamonds and Prada mini dress in tow, without Sarah.

I gripped the steering wheel as I continued to drive on my way to…well, wherever my car ended up stopping.

Yes, we got Sarah, and it was that moment that everything actually set in.

This was _my daughter._ This was _Percy._ I hadn't seen either in years, and I have them _both_ back in one week? The gods have to be up to their tricks, right?

I felt like I was going to pass out and wreck. I pulled off the happy mom thing when I was in there, but I almost fell when I got out of the court house, and Percy had to catch me. It's a miracle I haven't totaled this car yet.

This moment reminded me of when I found out I was pregnant, scared and breathless. I still felt bad about leaving Sarah and everything. I really did. I never spoke about my fears about raising her though. Percy wasn't scared. So, I acted like I wasn't. But the daughter I gave up for adoption when I was a senior in college just got back into my custody. I have every damn right to be scared.

_I stared deep into the Lakes water. I remembered what Luke used to tell me about it. He liked the lake but hated the ocean. _

"_The ocean represents everything slipping away. You go in, feeling the relief from the sun, and you don't want to get out. You feel a slight tug of the tide, but you don't pay much attention. Time starts to slip away, and you know it's time to go in. But the tide has you caught. You can't get out," Luke would look off at the water for a moment as if he were remembering something he didn't want to. _

"_You're in over your head, and you realize that you really have no one who could help you. Your body starts to give out, and you slowly sink to the bottom, unable to do anything about it," Luke would look away from the lake and towards me, changing the subject immediately. When I first met Percy, Luke's words about the ocean haunted my mind. I ended up giving Percy a chance, and I know I made the right choice when I did. But, now, I feel like Luke was right. I'm stuck falling for Percy while he doesn't care about me anymore. He cares about _Rachel_. _

_I dipped my feet into the water, missing Luke and Percy like crazy. I was fifteen, and the war was coming up in only about a month. Percy was with Rachel, and I felt more alone than I had in years. I had always said 'At least I have Percy…', but that isn't so true anymore. He's_ always_ with Rachel these days. _

_I partly expected to see Percy at that moment. He always seemed to show up at these odd moments, and I had always loved it. But I didn't think he was coming this time. I started to imagine him being there at the odd moments for Rachel, and it made me want to throw up. I took a deep breath, removing my feet from the water and getting up. I slid back into a pair of flip flops and began to walk back my cabin, wondering what I'd be doing if I kept on hating Percy like I did when I first met him. _

_The warm summer air blanketed my skin like a hug that I really could have used at that point. I listened to the boards of the pier creak underneath my feet, making me think of all the times I used to come here with Percy. We'd race out here and talk for hours. I loved it, but it doesn't happen that often anymore. _

_I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. What was wrong with me? He was my best friend. Shouldn't I be happy that he is happy with Rachel? But… I…I love him. I bit my tongue this time to see if it would stop the tears, but it didn't. I wiped away the tears immediately. No one could see me cry. _Ever._ I started to walk faster towards my cabin, knowing I could cry then because no one would be there. _

"_Annie."_

_A voice made me stop so that I felt paralyzed. My brain was drawn to a blank, and I felt like acting like a total, girly idiot. I bit my tongue once more and turned around to look at the person who the voice had come from. _

_Percy's tall frame stuck out against the summer sun, and his smile seemed to brighten the world better than Apollo ever could. I was stuck speechless for a moment, but I pulled myself away from that. His sea green eyes reminded me of the Lake's cool water I had seen only moments ago. His neon orange camp tee shirt seemed odd against his checkered board shorts and sandals but in that adorable 'boyish' way. Instantly, I felt self-conscious about my Bermuda shorts and Harvard tee shirt, but I doubt he even noticed what I was wearing. _

_The fears returned to my mind. For the millionth time, I thought about what would have happened if I had done as Luke asked and joined him to fight with Kronos. It would have been before I knew I loved Percy. I wouldn't be scared like I was right now. _

_I snapped that off. Seaweed Brain or not, I would never join Luke. _Never._ Don't think like that. _

"_If it isn't the Seaweed Brain himself," I smiled warmly as if I didn't feel like dying. I had played this game before with Luke, and I never thought it happen with Percy, too. _

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and drove back to my apartment building. I wasn't due for work for another hour or two, and Malcolm was going to be with his wife in Massachusetts all week. They both wanted to meet Sarah when they got back, but I didn't know how that'd go. Malcolm hates Percy. He always did and probably always will. Rachel and my best friend Lisa were both out of the country. Rachel was in Greece for god-knows-what, and Lisa was in Fiji for her sister's wedding. It seemed like the only person I had to turn to was Percy. But I didn't want to do that.

Thirty minutes later, I was finishing off a frozen yogurt and starting to walk to work. I stopped in some little yogurt shop a little while ago when I was walking around. I stopped, bought one, and just kept on walking. I was going to be early for work, but I didn't much care. Once I let myself calm down, I realized just how happy I was about Sarah. I wonder what it would have been like if I had just done this when I was pregnant. Maybe I wouldn't have left her or Percy.

I tried not to think about that as I kept walking. I threw the empty cup into the trash can in the park and forced away the memories of Percy. It used to be like forcing myself to breathe, but I could do it by now. It was around that time that my phone buzzed in my pocket.

_Damn it. It'll be my dad again…_

"Hello?"

"Feeling better, Annabeth?" Percy's voice smirked through the phone, making me a little sick. I brushed it off, hoping I didn't end up getting jinxed by Percy saying this and falling down like I did before. I smiled without thinking about it, making me mad at myself.

"I only fell once, thank you very much," I said indignantly, sitting down on a nearby bench.

"Annabeth the fact is that _you fell_. Who cares how many times you fell? It's like saying I've only _killed once_. I've only _ran away once_. The fact is that _you did_," I could hear paper rustling in the background. He told me after the hearing that he had to get to work and would call me later to work on some last details. I guess he would still be at work, but I didn't know why he called me _now._

"Will you just shut up, Percy?" I smiled unwillingly again. Seriously, I have got to stop doing that.

"Fine," Percy's voice kept its casual tone, but I knew he was about to get down to business, "Is Sarah staying a week with you first or a week with me first?"

We only had two days to work that out before Sarah would be here. We agreed that Sarah would stay a week with one of us, then a week with the other as our joint custody agreement, but it wasn't working out like we had hoped. I knew it would work in a leisure summer, but I couldn't imagine the confusion it would bring when the summer drew to a close. It was July 28th today, and August would be coming before we knew it.

"I thought you said that you weren't done painting?"

"I'm not, and that is why I am asking," Percy sounded distant like he was working on something while he was talking to me, but I didn't much mind.

"Well, she'll stay with me, I guess," I rolled my eyes, looking at my watch.

Fifteen minutes until work.

I looked through the park for the first time since I first walked in here. An older couple (seventy or so?) overlooked central park as if they were remembering a simpler time and watched their grandchildren. Some college kids sat under a tree, studying and laughing. A teenage couple nervously held hands, the girl blushing. Some kids ran around innocently as they played on the playground. A couple around my age watched a toddler try to walk on the warm grass but just fell.

It was all so wonderful and peaceful that it depressed me, especially the little family with the new toddler. My frown set in, and I turned my attention back to the conversation with Percy.

"Alright, and when are the interviews for the schools?" Percy asked. I ignored how we sounded like some old married couple and thought about how annoying the school interviews would be.

"I told you. We have three on Wednesday, and you are taking her to meet your mom afterwards," I straightened my spine, realizing I sounded a little cold to him. I actually felt a little guilty about it.

"Wednesday," Percy sounded as if he was writing something down. I looked at my watch again.

"Percy, I have to get to work," I reluctantly told him.

It took him forever to warm up to me, and I didn't want to ruin it. I loved talking to him, and I never wanted to just let go. It made me feel ridiculous, like one of those Aphrodite girls who stalk their crush. But I just couldn't get off the phone. I was hooked, and it would be a miracle if I let him go.

"Alright," Percy's voice fell, which somehow made me smile. He actually wanted to talk to me? This is good, right?

"I'll see you soon?" I didn't mean to sound hopeful but I failed miserably.

"Sure."

_**A Week Later:**_

I typed furiously at my keyboard, dog tired. Sarah got here a few days ago, and she has everything just how she likes it. I've learned how to scramble eggs, even though I personally hate eggs, make French Toast, how to work that stupid DVD player in Sarah's room, and have the Chinese take-out guy know us by name. Malcolm and his wife, Jenny, met her when they got back yesterday, and Sarah loves them. Percy had been over here almost every day to see her. School, which was a hassle to sign her up for, starts the fifteenth for Sarah, and she actually seemed to be looking forward to it. Percy says that she's just like her mom.

I don't know if I should take that as a good thing or if I should just hit him.

My fingers burned from typing so fast, but I ignored it. I completed the paperwork for Yorktown Academy yesterday with Percy, and, now, I was booking tickets to fly home to California for Fall Break with Sarah. It would be the first time my family would meet Sarah, well unless you include when she was three months old.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. The last week had felt more like a movie montage than my life. It seemed too _perfect_. The gods don't let me have _perfect_, especially Hera. Something _has_ to be up. Not even _Athena _would protest that my life be this great. It's like it's all a dream, and I'm scared to death I'll wake up.

I got up from my desk and started to go downstairs. Maybe if I got away from work I'd calm down.

"_You need to calm down, Annie," Percy continued to massage my neck. I wanted to zone into the massage so that I wouldn't have to say he was right. It was our Sophomore year of college, and I drove up to New York to see him because I was so stressed with school. _

_I don't think I've slept in weeks. I study to the early hours of the morning, and, when I try to go to sleep, my mind is reeling so that I can't get to sleep. Or, I'll be almost asleep and start thinking of Percy, and I start missing him like crazy. The only way I've survived is bottles of five hour energy and Kit Kat bars. _

"_You're right, Percy," I finally said. I can assure you, I didn't _like_ saying I was wrong, but I was. Percy smiled and stopped massaging my neck to wrap his arms around my waist and rest his head on my shoulder. _

"_You just said you were wrong," Percy sing-said. I smiled a little bit and realized just how much I really did need him. _

"_Shut up, Perseus," I shook my head, and Percy kissed my cheek before letting me go. I continued to shake my head and laugh. _

"_You're insane."_

"_But you love me for it," Percy smiled. _

I stopped at the stairs, realizing I was smiling at the memory. Any other time, I would have bitten my lip to keep myself from crying, but I was…_smiling_.

"Annabeth?" Sarah's adorable voice called from the room beside me. A few moments later, I was looking at a little girl in a fish tee shirt, which I blame Percy for, and a pair of jeans. Her curls had been tied up in a ponytail, and I knew that Renee would have had a heart attack if she saw this all, which made me grin a little.

Sarah doesn't call me 'Mom', and she never will. The truth is that Jill was 'Mom', and I'm just Annabeth. Sarah spent her entire life calling Jill 'Mommy' and Eric 'Daddy'. Her parents just died. Neither Percy nor I are going to just change everything for her in the blink of an eye _and_ make her call us Mom and Dad. That ship sailed years ago when I signed the adoption papers.

"Yes, Sarah?"

"Percy wants to talk to you," Sarah moved her arms behind her back to reveal a phone, making my stomach a little sick. I could _smile_ about him, but these one-on-one talks were still pretty hard for me? Wow, I'm pathetic.

"Alright," I took the phone and watched as Sarah went back to her room where paper and crayons were strewed all over. Sarah closed the door behind her, reminding me that I _had_ to talk to him.

Annabeth, this will be okay. Just don't freak out… Easier said than done.

"Hello?" my voice sounded hollow, but you wouldn't notice through the phone. Even if he was here, Percy wouldn't notice anyway now that I think about it.

"Annabeth," his reminded me of his fathers. I hadn't thought about it until I listened to it through the phone, but, now that I thought about it, it was all I could think of. I closed my eyes, and I could picture the gentle lap of the water against the sand.

"_Annabeth?_" Percy's voice broke me out of the trance.

"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm here," I quickly told him, remembering my nervousness.

"Has Renee called you yet?"

Oh damn it…

"No," I sighed. Not _Renee_. I hate Renee, and she hates me. It's just that simple, "Is she calling you a lot?"

"If you count ten times as _'a lot'_, then yes," Percy smirked, making me a little weak in the knees. I quickly brushed it off and nodded as if to say '_That's definitely Renee…_'

"I told you she was the Aunt from Hell…"


	7. Chapter Seven

_**Annabeth:**_

"Come on, Sarah. Wakey, wakey," I tried to shake her awake.

It was Friday morning and the first day of school. I don't know who came up with the idiot idea to start school on a Friday. So, don't ask me.

Our custody agreement was that Sarah would stay with me for a week, starting on a Friday and ending on the next Friday. Percy would be picking her up from the half-day at school, and I would be stuck alone for the rest of the week. Sarah had everything split up between each apartment. There were a few things that she had to take to each, and they were in a bag at the foot of her bed. Everything seemed to be working out perfectly.

Well, except for waking her up.

Sarah let out a loud moan, and took a spare pillow from the floor and covered her head with it.

_Just like Percy…_

"Sarah, it's your first day of school," I tried to stay upbeat like Jill would have been, but I didn't even buy it. Sarah shook her head and turned over in the bed.

Okay, Jill's out. Let's bring in Annabeth.

"I didn't burn the bacon this time," I sighed. Sarah squirmed as if it was a pretty good offer. When Percy and I were together, he was always the cook. After we broke up, I was too busy to learn. Now, I've got no clue.

"_And_ I ran downstairs and got the chocolate doughnuts you love so much."

Sarah squirmed again. She moved the green pillow away from her head to look at me. Looking at her, when she's so much like me and Percy, still kinda scares me, but I've let go. Her black curls were sprawled around her head, reminding me of one of those pictures where Mary is with that golden thing around her head. She pouted for a moment or two but eventually sat up, mumbling "Fine…"

I smiled victoriously as I got up from the floor and left the room. I slid out my droid. I had been up since six am, which I hate doing by the way, to get Sarah and me ready. I didn't have to be in until nine am. So, after I dropped Sarah off at eight, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do for the next hour.

And I'll be doing this for the next twelve years or so. I wonder if Percy finds it as annoying as I do. From what I've heard from Sarah, if they have to go somewhere in the morning, Percy wakes up thirty minutes before and gets two protein bars as they run out the door. It sounds a whole lot easier than what I have to do, but one of us has to be the early one, and I was dumb enough not to call it first.

_Meeting with Cali clients at nine fifteen. _

_-Malcolm_

I ignored the urge to tell him off, and made a reminder on my phone to be in early for that.

And there goes the free time.

I slid my phone back in my blazer pocket and went straight back down to the kitchen. I changed the channel from Fox News to Disney Channel where a little kids show's star character was singing in an annoying pitch. I took an Advil along with my coffee to get rid of the migraine that was forming. I bit into a chocolate doughnut, forgetting the self-inflicted 'No-Chocolate-In-the-Morning' rule I instated after I kept crashing after eating something sweet for breakfast. The sweet taste on my tongue almost made getting up so early to get them work it.

_Almost._

By the end of the first Disney episode, Sarah ran into the kitchen and took the plate I had made for her (chocolate doughnuts and steaming bacon). As usual, she went straight to the couch and changed the channel to wherever the hell Fanboy and Chum Chum comes on. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

Exactly _like Percy_.

I took one of the last slices of bacon and down the breakfast food.

Twenty Minutes Later:

"I'll call you tonight, okay, Sarah?" I smiled, pretending I wasn't dying. Today was my kid's first day of school, and I may not see her until the end of next week. What the hell kind of twist of fate is this?

"Okay, Annabeth," she nodded, and I kissed her cheek, even though she cringed and wiped it away. I smiled at her one last time before standing up on the cold floor.

"Tell Percy to make sure that you have all of your books," I fixed her hair even though I knew she didn't like it when I did that. Sarah didn't say anything though. I guess she knew how much this meant to me. She smiled at me before going into her classroom. I controlled my beating heart as I started to walk away from the classroom.

That's when I saw him.

He looked to be about a year or two older than me and was walking his son-who seemed to be about four- to his class. Both of them had the same blue eyes that made you want to cry for not having them. His brown hair was perfectly cropped so that you could have swooned. The way he smiled at his son made me a little sick.

I kept walking, forcing my eyes away. I could feel his eyes on me, but I bit my lip to avoid it.

_One…Two…Three…Four..._

He was past me. Thank the gods.

I felt a buzz from my blazer and brought out my phone without looking at the caller ID.

"Percy, she's fine. Calm down. It'll only be three hours until you see her," I kept walking, completely sure it was Percy on the other line.

"You know, my entire life I had no idea my name was Percy," Malcolm smirked.

Damn it.

"Sorry, Malcolm. I'll be at work soon. I just had to drop of Sarah," I started walking faster out of the school building.

"I was going to tell you that my wife just went into labor."

I stopped dead in my tracks. Her due date wasn't for another three weeks. I mean, I know you _can_ go into labor before you due date, but she had planned to have a c-section in three weeks because the idea of labor scared the hell out of her once I told her how much pain I went through for Sarah. I knew she wouldn't take this well at all.

"Oh my God, Malcolm."

"I'm on my way to the hospital. I left all of the stuff you'll need for the meeting in my office. You still have about an hour to get ready for it," Malcolm forgot the 'dad' moment going on and went back to his work voice.

"Alright. Congratulations, Mallie," I smiled. When we were kids, his voice used to be really squeaky when he got scared. So, my little brother, Arnold, started calling him 'Malorie' or 'Mallie', but 'Mallie' stuck with us all.

"Thanks, Annabeth."

_**Sarah:**_

"Are you sure you don't want to go ahead and leave, Sarah?" Percy asked, and I simply shook my head. Today was the first day of school for here, and Percy had expected me to want to run out the door, like he would have at my age. But I didn't. My teacher, Mrs. Page, told us that we could join clubs or simply take classes from here. Sign-ups were in the gym, and I was dragging my dad behind me.

I wanted to do something with swimming-_anything_. Back in Westchester, my parents piled me with extracurricular activities, and, while I completely hated it, I was used to it. I only wanted to sign up for one thing anyway. It'll only take a minute or two.

The two of us stepped through the doors.

Okay, I'll change the time line.

An hour or two.

There were enough stands in here for there to be a club for every last student in the school. I could tell that even Percy was shocked, and I tried to look like I wasn't intimidated. I scanned the many clubs to find the one I was looking for.

_Book Club…Chess Club…Soccer…Football…_

_And swimming!_

I pulled Percy over to the stand, not even bothering to tell him where we were going. Instead, I just pulled him along, hoping that the list wasn't full. I weaved through the crowd until I got there. A man was talking to his son who seemed to be about four behind the stand. He seemed really tall, not as tall as Percy, but tall. The color of his eyes reminded me of the ocean, and there was something really familiar about him. I just didn't know what.

I let him go as we reached the stand I had been looking for.

"Hi," the man, Mr. Bazil as it said on the nametag, smiled at Percy. Percy nodded to him before looking back down at me.

"Is this the one you want, Sarah?" Percy asked me even though anyone could see that was the case. I nodded excitedly, and Percy took the pen from the clipboard and scribbled down my name. It was barely readable, but I was so happy to see it.

"Well, Sarah Franklin-"

I could see Percy's smile fall a little bit when he heard that. I still had my adopted parents last names. It would be a while before my biological parents could adopt me, and, until then, I was Sarah Franklin.

"I'll be seeing you soon," Mr. Bazil smiled.

_**An Hour Later:**_

Percy and I sat side-by-side, eating chocolate ice cream from the carton as I told him about my first day. He got today off work-which was something my dad never did, _ever_- and it was pretty evident that he wanted to spend all twenty-four hours together. It felt weird to spend so much time with my real dad. I mean, I love the guy to death, but my adopted dad, Eric, dad didn't really spend time with me.

He loved me and everything, but he was raised where you worked all the time. He didn't know any different. Ice cream dates mean he would take you to some over the top ice cream store made of only milk from cows without steroids or whatever it is that everybody freaks out about. If he wanted to know how what happened at school, he'd squeeze in the question between 'Jill, have you seen my ipad anywhere?' and 'When's that charity function again?'

His style of parenting works on a lot of kids. He wasn't all bad or anything, but I've always needed a dad like Percy and a mom like Annabeth.

"You and Annabeth are getting along, right?" Percy asked me as he took another spoonful of chocolate ice cream.

"Yeah," I nodded. Percy waited a minute, and I knew that this wasn't done yet though.

"That's good," Percy took another spoonful, "Is she with anyone?"

I looked up at him as if he were crazy, which I would vouch that he was. He didn't say anything though. Instead, he shrugged like he was just making conversation. I was only six, but I could tell that they were still head over heels for each other. They may-who am I kidding? They'll most likely _never- _tell each other how they feel though. Annabeth asked me the exact same thing last week.

"No, Percy. She's single. Take a chill pill," I ate some more ice cream.

"I was just wondering, Sarah," Percy shrugged as he looked at a picture of one of my favorite Olympic swimmers that I had taped to the wall.

_Yeah, and I was just _wondering_ if you were my birthparents…_

"Well, are you?"

Percy knit his eyebrows in confusion.

"Are _you_ seeing anyone?"

"I have too many girls in my life already to add another one," he smiled warmly. I didn't mean to smile, but I did. I liked being Daddy's only girl. I mean, I wanted him to be with someone who made him happy, but I was really happy like this.

_I sat in my room, frowning. It was my six birthday, and I had been waiting forever for this moment. I was going to first grade, and I was one step closer to being able to join the swim team at my school. It was only for the best of the best, and you had to be in sixth grade to join. There are some times where they would take you early if you were really good, and I wanted to become the youngest person on the team. Of course, it wouldn't happen in first grade, but I was close. To be on the swim team was like the holy grail in my school. All sports teams are very exclusive, and I mean, _insanely exclusive_. _

_Even the little kids know that they want to be one of those athletes. You get every whim and desire you want just for being on there. _

_Birthdays don't seem to come fast enough so that I can be on that stupid team, but at least this one is over with._

_My parents threw a big party. About four of my real friends were there, and the rest were their friend's kids. I barely knew anyone, and I hated it. My parents were downstairs talking to some of their friends, and I had come up stairs about an hour ago. My clock read eleven o' five, which was past my curfew even during the summer._

"_Knock, knock," my dad's voice spoke through the door. _

"_Come in."_

_The door opened to reveal my dad. He wasn't very tall. About five nine or so, and he always smelled like Calvin Clien cologne. He was blonde with bright brown eyes. He spoke perfectly, but he was born in Spain. My grandparents brought him here when he was nine. My grandmother always said that she just got tired of the shopping there and moved to New York to find something better, but the truth is that my grandfather got promoted to CEO in his company and had to move to the states. A bunch of the older kids at my school called him 'cute', but Nick Jonas was 'cute'. This is my _dad_._

"_Why so frowny?" he smiled, and I couldn't help but notice how we looked nothing alike. I wish we did though. With how great my mom and dad look, I would have been beautiful, but I wasn't. I looked like whoever my real parents were._

_I looked up at him as if to say that I really didn't want to talk about it. He didn't give in though. Instead, he sat down on my pink duvet beside me. _

"_Dad," I bit my lip, "Do you think we could _not_ have a party next year?" _

"_Why, Sarah?" Dad asked._

"_None of my friends were there," I sighed, looking back down at the hardwood floors._

"_What are you talking about? There were plenty of people there," he didn't seem to get what I was trying to tell him._

"_No, Daddy, _your_ friends were there," I looked up into his brown eyes, and he seemed to understand this time._

_He seemed to think this over. I didn't want to be mean about it or anything. I _did_ have fun, but I wanted to have that fun with _my friends_, too. Dad smiled as he decided how to respond. _

"_I promise, Sarah, next year we will just be together as a family, or, if you want, we'll have a party and _you_ can choose who can come," Daddy told me. _

Or not.

This year wouldn't happen. They wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't hear my father sneak in some Spanish into sentences to help me learn it. Mom wouldn't give me a speech about how coke is really poison in a can. I wouldn't come downstairs after my mom went shopping to find bags and bags of pink things that I wanted to throw out of a window.

"Are you okay, Sarah?"

I hadn't noticed my eyes were watering until Percy asked me that.

"Eric and Jill finally agreed to not throw me a party and just spend time together as a family on my birthday for this year if I could sing 'Happy Birthday' in Spanish. I spent all summer studying, and…" I bit my lip to stop the tears, "It'll never happen."

Percy wrapped his arms around me, and I cried into his tee shirt. Percy didn't say anything. He knew not to. It would only make me worse. Percy kissed the top of my head, and I started to wish Annabeth was here. They really are perfect for each other, even if they will never admit to it.

"Percy," I looked up at him, "Why did you and Annabeth break up?"

That one seemed to catch him off guard. I could tell he was thinking up a lie.

"Well, it was a lot of things," Percy answered, and I knit my eyebrows as if to tell him to keep going.

"For one thing, we lived in separate states. She was in Boston, and I was in New York. Her mom hated me and my dad, and my dad didn't get along with Annabeth's mom well either. We had been through a lot together, and that put some strain us. We were also _really_ young. The two of us are so different, and we had been fighting a lot with the stress of school and everything," Percy stared off into space as if he regretted something. I didn't know what it was though.

"She misses you," I took a leap of faith and told him.

"I miss her, too," Percy sounded distant like he was thinking of something else.


	8. Chapter Eight

_**Annabeth:**_

I looked of the picture of my new nephew, Steven. He was thirteen days old and just the cutest little thing. He and his mom went home yesterday, and Sarah's been saying she can't wait to meet her cousin.

It's been almost two weeks since school started, and I'm supposed to pick up Sarah from Swim Class. That's all she's talked about for days. I guess that's good, as long as she doesn't get tired of it by the end of next week like Percy does some times. I talked to Sarah just about every day this last week, but I've barely spoken to Percy.

I don't know what it was, but, suddenly, he became distant. I took a deep breath, hoping my assistant wouldn't come in to tell me that I needed to do something else. Malcolm had two weeks off for Steven and his wife, and I was stuck keeping everything up. I was late enough to pick up Sarah already. I didn't need _more_ work.

I pressed the intercom button for my assistant.

"I need to go pick up Sarah. Can we hold everything off for Monday?" I bit my lip hopefully.

"Of course, Ms. Chase."

_**XXXXXX**_

I scanned the swim room for Sarah and saw her right away. A bunch of parents were chatting amongst themselves as their kids continued to swim.

_Maybe I'm not late after all…_

I've got to admit that Sarah was good.

Like _really_ good. She had her dad's stroke. He tried to teach me, but I could never get it. Sarah got it naturally, and she seemed to understand the water better than Percy ever could. It was kind of amazing to tell you the truth.

"Are you Sarah's mom?"

I snapped out of it and looked for the origin of the question.

_Damn it._

I had seen him on the first day I walked into this school, and I felt like passing out. My heart was thudding like a drum, and I bit my tongue to stop myself from blushing. His blue eyes seemed purer than the chlorine-enriched water Sarah was swimming in. His smile was genuine, and I felt like an idiot just standing there. Right now would be the worst time to fall for a guy, but I couldn't seem to control it.

"Yes, I'm her mother. Why?" I didn't even know I said it, but I was happy I did. That was so much better than just standing there like a total idiot.

"I'm Ryan Bazil, her swim coach. She has amazing talent," he smiled warmly, and I smiled once more. She _did _do pretty well in the water, but, whenever someone starts with a compliment, you know you're not going to like the rest.

"She's currently in the First-to-Second Grade group, but I think she would benefit for being in the next age group."

I was a little speechless. I knew she was good enough for that, but I hadn't thought about it.

"You want to put her in a class with kids who are about three years older than her?" I didn't know much about swimming other than what I learned when Percy was on the swim team for five years. Other than that, I have clue, but I do know that she's only six. She's fast yeah, but could she seriously handle being with all of them?

"Well, she doesn't have room to mature her skill in this class, and I think she could really progress in the next class," he smiled again, a little flustered.

"Have you brought this up to Sarah yet?" I crossed my arms, forgetting how cute he was for a moment.

"No, I wanted to her you opinion on this first," Ryan smiled, and I didn't know what to say.

"Well, um," the cuteness factor came back in.

"I know it's a lot to throw at you. If someone came up to me telling them that they wanted my son to skip an age group, I wouldn't know what to say, but I have faith in Sarah. If you want to discuss this option, here's my number," he handed me a business card.

Why's a NYU professor working as a swim coach when his kid is _four_?

"Coach Bazil?" another mom called.

"Excuse me, Ms. Chase," Ryan smiled before walking away towards her.

I stood there, completely stunned.

Let me get this straight. He:

Walks up to me, knowing exactly who I am.

Tells me my daughter would benefit from skipping an age group.

Gives me his number.

And walks away like it was all nothing.

_What the hell?_

I was planning to have a talk with him when he wasn't surrounded by a bunch of other moms with questions, but I didn't have enough time. A chlorine-drenched Sarah climbed out of the pull, a big grin on her face. She held up her hand to show it'd be one more minute before she went into the changing room with some of the other girls. And she was right. It did only take her a minute.

She came out in a black polo with the name of her school on the right shoulder. Her knee socks looked insanely uncomfortable, but her converses looked adorable with them for some odd reason. She was wearing a 'NYU' hoodie on over the polo that I am completely sure Percy bought her. Her plaid skirt was supposed to go about to her knees, but it went just above it on her for some odd reason. And her black hair was in a high ponytail.

Percy thought she looked adorable in the uniform, but it reminded me of all those schools I jumped to and from over my childhood.

"Ready?" Sarah smiled brightly. I looked back over to Ryan. He was still talking to the mom who had called him over earlier. For some odd reason, I thought about calling him tonight or tomorrow. I don't know why though. Usually, I'd just try to track them down on Friday, not call them, but Ryan seemed different for some odd reason.

"Yeah, Sarah," I snapped myself out of it and smiled towards her.

_**Sarah:**_

_**(a week after the last POV)**_

I tossed and turned in bed. Dad was watching me for the night even though it was Annabeth's time. I didn't really like this whole 'One-Week-With-One-Parent. One-Week-With-the-Other' thing we had going on, but it was better than nothing. It was getting late- late enough that Percy put me to bed- and I was starting to wonder when Annabeth was ever getting home.

She had been talking to Coach Bazil almost every day until he asked her out for tonight. She agreed and left hours ago. Percy and I had fun for the most part, watching movies and eating junk food, but I could tell he didn't like it. He was thinking about Annabeth, and he was probably the last thing on her mind. I wanted my parents to be happy with someone, but I kinda wanted that someone to be _each other_. I love Coach Bazil and all, but he's _Coach Bazil_, my mentor not my future step-father.

Realizing I wouldn't be able to sleep, I clicked on the lamp and crept to the door, hearing Percy talk to himself downstairs. He was rambling on and on about Annabeth, but it more of a mumble so I couldn't understand _exactly_ what he was saying. I cracked the door open to listen better. Seeing that it didn't help, I stepped out the door and stood where he couldn't see me but I could see him as he stood in the kitchen.

Percy was writing something in a notebook angrily as he muttered things about Annabeth under his breath. I could only understand this though:

"First my wife leaves me for some idiot in Westchester and, when Annabeth comes back into my life, she's dating Sarah's swim coach. Aphrodite _really does_ hate me."

_Aphrodite?_

The front door started to open, and Percy quickly closed the notebook and shut up. A few moments later, I could hear Annabeth walk through the door. Her high heels clacked against the hardwood floors, and I could see her blonde hair tumble around her just out of the corner of my eye. I knew she would be smiling around now even though this was an awkward moment.

"Have fun?" Percy smiled as though he hadn't been freaking out a few minutes ago. Annabeth took another few steps to set her purse down on the kitchen counter, making her visible to me. She wasn't smiling as if the words 'Let me explain' were about to come out of her lips.

"Sarah-" Percy began, cutting off whatever she was going to say, "Is in bed. She seemed really tired, but I'm not sure if she's asleep."

"Thank you so much, Percy," Annabeth looked like she might want to cry. I didn't know why though. Percy pretended not to notice because he looked like he wanted to put his hand through a wall from frustration.

"I better get going, Annabeth," Percy told her, and Annabeth nodded. He was about to leave when he hesitated in the doorway.

"Are you okay, Annabeth?" Percy turned around to look at her, his eyes begging her to say what he wanted to hear. She didn't notice though.

"I'm fine. I just…"

I knew how Annabeth _wanted_ to finish that. She missed him.

"I…" I knew at that moment she wasn't going to tell him the truth, "Dreading the drive to the wedding tomorrow."

Percy looked a little disappointed as he nodded towards Annabeth. He left, the only sound being the loud 'thud' of the door. Annabeth just stood there, shaking for some odd reason. She went to the cabinet and brought out a glass. After pouring herself a glass of wine, she pulled herself up on the countertop. She kicked off her heels as she sipped the liquid. I started to wonder if she done that _every time_ she thought of Percy before I moved in.

Annabeth stopped shaking, but I'm pretty sure she still wanted to cry. She set down the half-empty glass of wine and started to walk towards my room. I panicked and slid back in. I raced to get in bed and flip off the lamp. When my head hit the pillow, my body remembered just how tired it was. I wouldn't dare go to sleep though.

The bedroom door opened cautiously. Annabeth's grey eyes peered in, and I looked at her. She was so beautiful, but I don't think I've seen someone so sad. I guess she thought I was asleep because she walked in my room carefully as if not to wake me. She pulled off a weak smile as she looked at me, and Annabeth knelt beside my bed.

"I am so sorry for leaving you, Sarah," her voice cracked as she ran a hand through my hair, "I just got so scared. I didn't know my mom so I didn't think I could ever be a good mom, but I love you so much. You are best thing I ever did."

I didn't say anything-or move an inch- but I wanted to cry when I heard that.

"I screwed everything up. I ran Percy away…" Annabeth seemed to feel the weight those words added to the room, "I still love him, Sarah, but he can't _forgive_ me. How could he ever _love_ me?"

I could tell Annabeth wanted to say more, probably about her date with Coach Bazil, but she hesitated. I peeked my eye open a little to see her, but she didn't notice. Her eyes were probably too watery to even notice the color of the walls.

"I love you, Baby," Annabeth kissed my cheek, probably leaving a lipstick print, but I didn't much care. I smiled and pretended to still be asleep. I nuzzled into my pillow, wishing I could say something. Annabeth got up to leave and was about to close the door behind her when I decided to say something.

"I love you, Mommy," I closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep before she could ask me why I had been pretending to be asleep. She didn't though. Instead, she smiled at me and closed the door behind her.

**_Here goes nothing. I had a _super _long chapter made for this one, but it went too long. So, I just separated what I had, and I'll be posting that when I finally finish it._**


	9. Chapter Nine

_**I changed Sarah's last name to Aguilera. At first, her adopted father wasn't going to be Spanish, but it just happened. Until now, I had no clue how hard it was to find a Spanish last name that wasn't Iglesias. I also want to point out that Percy faked the smiles towards Annabeth in the last chapter to be polite, and Annabeth cried because she missed him.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Annabeth:<strong>_

I felt the hum of the engine start to relax me. Our old friends, Kierra and George, were getting married this week and wanted us to come. Percy and I had planned to just send a gift and skip it, but Kierra called us to say that she really wanted us to come. When I tried to say that we couldn't just leave our daughter back home, they just told us to let her skip school. After forever of this, we let go and said we'd come.

It was Saturday, the day before the wedding, and the car ride won't seem to go fast enough. It was edging on ten, but Sarah was already asleep in the backseat. Percy was taking his turn to drive as I felt like falling asleep like Sarah.

"She's pretty tired, huh?" Percy nodded to Sarah in the backseat. I nodded, watching the cars pass us on the highway. I didn't know how to talk to him since my date with Ryan. Honestly, I didn't know how to talk to Ryan much either.

The date was perfect, beyond perfect I guess. Everything went just right, and I really liked the guy. We hit it off well, and I was really happy…until I opened the door. There was something about going home and seeing Percy standing there that changed it all. I wanted to cry and felt helpless, but he didn't notice. He just told me Sarah was asleep. Then, he left.

Ever since then, I can't seem to think straight. I can sort of talk to Ryan, but it's impossible to speak to Percy without wanting to die. This can't go on forever. We have a daughter we need to raise, and that involves talking. I bit my lip as I stared out the window, realizing distance was being created in this conversation. I needed to say something, but I couldn't think.

"How's Malcolm doing?" Percy asked, gripping the steering wheel. I knew Malcolm hadn't been the nicest person to Percy, especially after we broke up. The two both went back to camp during college-unlike me- so I have no idea what happened during those few summers. And I don't want to know.

"He's good. Tired, but good," I told Percy. Sarah had told him about Steven being born not too long ago. I knew that the couple was so tired, but that was really all I knew. They were both so busy that I hadn't talked to them in a while.

"They named their son Steven, right?" Percy didn't take his eyes off the road for even a moment, though I wish he would look at me.

"Yeah," I smiled, looking over at him instead of the other cars like I had been doing. Percy sped up for a minute as if it would help him think, but he slowed back down soon.

I was about to say something, but Percy huffed to show that he needed to say something but really didn't want to. I waited for a moment or two to see if he would finally say it.

"So, what's up with you and the teacher?" Percy _still_ didn't look at me but stared out at the road like it was his life line.

I couldn't breathe. I had no clue what to say. Of course he asked. I mean, I made him _babysit_ so I could go on the date. _I_ would ask. Anyone would, even insane Percy. Looking at him, I wish I knew just what to say.

"Uh…I don't know," I blushed and pushed back my hair to behind my ear. I felt like that fifteen year old girl who was so in love with Percy that it was pathetic again. I hated being that girl. Honestly, one of the reasons I stepped up and kissed Percy that day was because I couldn't imagine staying like how I was for any longer and I had a shot to get rid of it.

I had no shot now. What I did have was a possible relationship with my daughter's coach named Ryan, a six year old daughter who is being bounced around from living with her dad to living with every week, a demanding job, and an ex who is in just about all of my memories and who I have mixed up feelings for. I know there's a lot I can do, but I just have no clue what it is.

"What do you mean you don't know, Annabeth?" Percy looked at me for the first time, smiling, "You _always_ know."

I hit my head on the back of the car seat, feeling like throwing up. Here goes nothing.

"Yeah, I wish. Ryan is great. Better than great…it's just….he's our daughter's swim coach. He's my daughter's teacher. And…"

"_And_ what?"

Oh damn it.

"Uh…" I waited for a moment or two to come up with something, "My daughter refers to him as _Coach Bazil?" _

"Nice point," Percy shrugged.

_Thank the freakin' gods!_

"At least you know Sarah likes him," Percy smirked.

"I want to hit you, but you're driving," I pouted, putting my feet up on the dashboard. Percy tried to push them down, but he didn't get a very good chance.

"New rule. Feet. On. The. Ground," Percy looked at me for a brief second before averting his eyes back to the street.

"Hey, did we work out the thing with the hotel room?" I put my feet back down and watched the clock tick minute by minute.

"Wait, _you_ didn't fix it," Percy stared back at me.

"What do you mean? I told you to! You…you mean we have _two beds and three people_?" I sat up straighter on the verge of screaming.

_**XXXXXX**_

Sarah had been kicking me in her sleep all night. When we got here, Percy got the bed to himself-lucky SOB- and I got bunked with Sarah. I was fine with it in the beginning. She's had nightmares before and slept in my room with me, but she didn't kick. As it turns out, when Sarah is sleeping in a new place, she kicks like hell. I tried to put up with it for a while, but I definitely couldn't handle it anymore.

I got up and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Once I could see without running into something, I went to the closet and picked up a blanket. I thought about sleeping on the floor. It was a way better option than bunking with Percy.

But I wasn't in the mood for sleeping on a hard carpet when I put up with being kicked a million times by Sarah for the last few hours.

I bit my tongue, wishing this wasn't happening, but I laid down on the soft white duvet. I pulled the blanket over me and waited for Percy to notice. He didn't though.

And I fell asleep…

_**The Next Morning:**_

The sun peered into my eyes, waking me up. I stirred about to get up when I realized something was holding me back. I opened my eyes at looked around.

Percy's tan arm was the first thing I saw. It was wrapped around my waist like a human belt, and his beautiful green eyes were closed in slumber. As I felt his bare chest against my cheek (I was using him as a pillow), I blushed to the shade of a raspberry and felt like a giddy little girl.

I thought about wriggling out of his grasp like I should have. I wasn't going to when I closed my eyes again and set my head back down on his chest.

_The alarm blaring in my ear made me wake up, even though I wanted to go back to sleep. I pulled the blanket up closer over me and Percy, and I began to hope that Percy hadn't heard the alarm clock. Percy stirred in his sleep, and I knew he was awake. _

_Damn it. _

_Percy's green eyes fluttered open as he took in his surroundings._

_Percy smiled and kissed the top of my head. It was our freshman year and I drove up to New York to see him. It was hard not seeing him every day like I used to, but it was harder to imagine driving home without him this morning. _

"_Good morning," Percy's smile grew, reminding me just how hard it was going to be to leave._

"_Good morning, Percy," I blinked my eyes open, hoping it was all a dream._

"_What time do you have to leave?" Percy asked solemnly, and I looked up at him, wanting to throw up. _

"_I have to be on the road in about an hour," I found myself unable to look away from his sea green eyes. I didn't want to leave New York. Honestly, it'd be a miracle to get me out of this bed, but I knew it was going to have to happen. I was going to leave, and we weren't going to see each other for a long time._

"_I love you and everything, but this arrangement sucks," Percy sighed, and I nodded. _

_It really did suck._

A sharp pain hit my heart. It hurt way more than it did that day. I couldn't stay in his arms. I couldn't handle it any longer. Somehow, I managed to get out of his grasp and looked back at the two beds. Sarah was completely passed out as it was only five-forty-five, and Percy was exactly the same.

I grabbed some clothes to change into and went into the bathroom to do so, and I planned to go outside and get some air. But I couldn't make it. So, I pushed my back to the wooden door of the bathroom and fell to the ground. My lungs seemed to forget how to breathe until I was shaking like I was having a seizure. Tears were pouring down my face until my cheeks couldn't be any more stained.

As I realized I still couldn't breathe, I began to imagine the headline of my death. _Woman suffocates when she woke up in the arms of her ex and started crying in the bathroom of a hotel room, where her daughter and the father of her child were staying in before a friend's wedding._ That'll sell some newspapers, huh?

I sat up a little straighter and wiped away the tears. I reached up for the phone I had left charging on the bathroom countertop. By now, it had been thirty minutes since I came in here, but I didn't feel any better about anything. I was still scared, but I _looked_ just as bad as I felt on the inside.

Somehow, I managed to get up from the floor even though I felt as weak as if I had been punched in the stomach repeatedly. When I broke up with Percy, I thought that would be the worst pain I would go through. But, now, I felt too sick to move. Being in Percy's arms when I know I can't have him is like sticking super man in a hot tub of liquid kryptonite.

Wait a minute.

_Ryan._

I moaned as I gripped the countertop, wishing I could get this damn day over with. Going to a wedding with my ex while still having feelings for him and another guy was definitely not on the top of my to-do list. I had been dreading the thought of doing this for weeks, but it was happening.

Actually, it was happening in six hours.

"Knock, knock," somebody yelled from the hotel door. Tired and drenched in my own tears, I wiped at my face and opened the front door.

"Annabeth," Kierra smiled warmly as she looked at me. She had that bridal glow that must have made me look like a total loser compared to her.

"Kierra," I smiled.

"Come on. I _need_ your help with the wedding. Tony's sister got food poisoning and can't be in the wedding, and I always wanted you to be in the wedding. Please, please," Kierra did the 'puppy-dog-eyes' thing as she looked at me.

It was hard to say no to her. It always had been. She was my half-sister, and her dad died when she was seven. She had no family except for her dad's best friend, Bailey. Bailey was a half-blood and knew about Athena being her mom, and she took her in. Bailey's job involved spending her summers working all the time. So, when Kierra was eight, Bailey started sending her to camp, and I helped her with the transition. Looking into her brown puppy dogs eyes makes it hard to not give in.

She looked nothing like the rest of the Athena kids. Her coco-brown skin shone in the sun, making you think of an Egyptian goddess. The way her chocolate brown eyes look at everything with ingenuity and careful detail definitely shows you she's a daughter of Aphrodite. Her kinky brown curls had been forced into a ponytail, and her Mickey Mouse pajama bottoms made it even harder for me to see her as anything other than that little girl, giggling as she chased her friends around camp.

I looked back at the room behind me where Percy and Sarah were still asleep.

_Percy_.

I needed to get away from him. What better excuse could I have than preparing my sister for her wedding?

"Alright, Kierra."

_**After the Wedding:**_

I sipped at the flute of Champaign as I tried to ignore how I looked like a cupcake in this stupid dress. I don't think I've ever felt so uncomfortable in a dress as I did that night, and, even though I knew it was made for someone else, it still would have hurt her.

Percy had been watching Sarah all day, and, so far, I hadn't had to say anything to him.

Sarah continued to run around the room with Bailey's son, Sam. He was about three years older than Sarah and a late-in-life baby. They seem to be getting along. Well, no one's dead yet and neither has a new scar or anything. That's better than some of the meet-ups I had with Luke around her age.

"Is Annabeth Chase actually wearing _pink?"_

I felt my heart stop and my head bang.

Definitely Percy.

"This not the first time you've seen me in pink, Perseus," I turned around to look at him. His lips formed a smile, making my stomach churn. Percy sipped at his glass of Champaign and shrugged as if to say Touché.

"So, a bridesmaid? When did that happen?" Percy asked.

_I wonder what he'd say if he if I told him why I accepted…_

"Tony's sister couldn't make it, and I was a size six just like her. So, in the dress I go," I shrugged.

"Well, congratulations then," Percy toasted the flute of Champaign. I did the same and pretended I was fine though I felt like dying. I hated this, and, if anything, I wanted to get away from him. But I felt bad when I was away from him, too. It was awful on so many levels. It's like Aphrodite just loves to torture me.

"You know, I always wanted to be in somebody's wedding, but…this dress is like an evil cupcake that loves to hurt me," I looked down at the pink monstrosity. It made me a little sick just to _look_ at. The bottom was puffy and scratchy against my legs. The top was meant for a girl with an a-cup chest and made it hard for me to breathe. The middle band was supposed to make Tony's sister look smaller, but it made me look more like a size eight than six.

And don't get me started on the four inch-high heels.

"_An evil cupcake that likes to hurt you_?" Percy cocked an eyebrow as if to say 'You are insane, Annabeth'

"Yes, Percy, I am calling this dress 'An evil cupcake that likes to hurt me' because it is," I tried not to smile when I looked into his eyes, but it was pretty hard. It had always been hard for me not to smile when I'm around him. Even with what was going on right now, that didn't change.

"You realize what you just said, right?"

"Shut up," I playfully pushed him.

"Hey, I thought we had a rule. No violence when Sarah is in a mile radius."

"Percy, violence with us is slitting someone's throat with a dagger in their sleep, not pushing someone," I smirked, and Percy smiled with a bit of sadness. I hadn't meant to bring up old times, but I always seemed to. I knew it hurt me, but I didn't know it hurt him, too.

"Annabeth, Kierra's going to throw the bouquet," another bridesmaid's, Jessie, voice scared the hell out of me when I suddenly heard it. I turned around and saw her smiling, which I thought was impossible since she was wearing the same dress as me.

"Go catch it for Ryan," Percy smirked, making me frown. There was something in his eyes, like he wanted to kill Ryan for god knows why. All I knew was that I wanted to say something like 'I love _you_, Percy', but I didn't get the chance before Jessie pulled me off.

_**The Drive Home:**_

It was a dark Sunday night, and I began to dread waking up Sarah the next morning for school. I even began to consider letting her play hooky and doing my work from home as I stared out the dark night.

I was right back at square one. I had hoped that this trip might help me, but it didn't. It left me in the same spot.

I had a great guy, who I _really_ liked, waiting back home for me. A daughter who was sound asleep in the backseat, probably dreaming about winning an Olympic medal or something. A thriving business where my co-owner is currently not working as his son requires a lot of attention. A mother who believes that my life will be miserable until I get as far away as I possibly can from Percy even though it seems to be the other way around. A miserable pain in my stomach taunting me whenever Percy crosses my mind for any reason that I could never have him again because he would never _truly_ forgive me.

I tried to let the faint sound of 'Better With the Lights Off' relax me. It wasn't a surprise to me that it didn't work, but I listened anyway. I felt the warmth of the seat warmer try to seep into my tense mussels. Closing my eyes for a minute, I let my mind wander.

An image of Ryan was the first thing to come to mind.

I had gone to the date with a smile on my face, not knowing I was going to cry afterwards. Even an uncomfortable pair of heels and a tight dress couldn't ruin my night. That's when I walked through the door to my apartment, the buzz off a kiss still fresh on my lips. I unlocked my door, forgetting Percy was there for a moment. Then I saw him and remembered. The way my heels clacked on the hardwood floors made the moment feel dramatic. He looked at me, motionless for a moment or two. I couldn't tell if he was just being polite or if he was actually smiling. His green eyes made my knees weak, and I almost toppled onto the hard floor. I set my purse down on the countertop with a face I didn't usually make. I thought about explaining, but I wouldn't know what to say anyway. He let me know that Sarah was asleep, and our conversation went on like that. When he left, I had completely lost my just-finished-a-date happiness and felt like dying.

He seemed to always do that to me. Percy changed everything I knew, which was like killing an Athena kid, but I couldn't get enough of it. Every time I saw him, I got a glimpse into the world of Percy, a world I used to have full access to, and I wanted to see more. For the first time in my life, I agreed with Ke$ha. Loving Percy _was_ my drug.

"Hmm," I looked out at the cold night, thankful for the seat warmers-and the presence of Percy- to warm me up. Sarah snored lightly in the background, ruining what could have been a romantic moment.

"Hmm," Percy stared out at the road, tense. I had offered to take the wheel an hour ago, but he said that wasn't it. He would tell me what _was_ it, but I guess I never asked either.

I don't know what it was about that moment, but I felt the same thing I had felt years ago, on his sixteenth birthday.

It took all of my willpower not to reach over and kiss him, but I couldn't help myself from telling him how I felt. For once, I _wanted_ to, and times like that rarely come to me.

"Percy-" I started.

"Listen, I'm sorry for giving you problems about Ryan," Percy cut me off, "I know you really like him, and I'm happy for you. It's just odd to see you dating."

Percy smiled at me.

"I'm so glad that you found someone who makes you happy," Percy told me, ruining how I felt.

My face had dropped by now, and I didn't know what to say.

He was _happy?_

It was at that moment that I saw something. I loved him more than anything, but I had been right all along. It wasn't going to work. But it could work with Ryan. Screw him being my daughter's teacher. It's not like he's _my teacher _or anything. These kinds of things happen all the time.

"Thanks, Percy," I told him, sounding less than thrilled. He smiled politely back at me before averting his gaze back to the road.

I didn't know what to do. So, I looked out the window, watching as the moment to tell him how I felt disappeared in the rearview.


	10. Some Can't Be Trusted

_**Annabeth:**_

I stared up at the ceiling unable to sleep.

Maybe it was all the sodas I drank with Sarah. Maybe I was still thinking about the Romantic Comedy we watched. It could have been the Chinese food. Possibly, I couldn't sleep because I was missing Ryan, who was out of town when it was our month-aversary, not that I really cared about such things. But I definitely couldn't sleep.

I looked at the clock that read one AM and decided to get up. The place was quiet, _insanely_ quiet. The cold and solemn atmosphere reminded me of how my life was before Sarah. I had a lot of freedom such as being able to hook-up with random guys and not having to get home to take care of a kid, but it also came with a lot of loneliness. Thinking back on it was hard for me these days.

I crept along the hardwood floor, even though I had no reason to, and went out the door. I saw Sarah's door open and her bed empty, and the sound of the refrigerator quickly followed. Partly happy that she was up and partly worried about _why _she was up, I went straight to the kitchen.

When I got there, little Sarah was pouring herself a glass of orange juice, trying her very hardest not to spill it. Her black hair was being held back by a blue elastic, which strangely matched her pajamas. Her grey eyes watched the orange juice spill into the cup with interest.

For some odd reason, I smiled. It was hard not to smile when I saw her, to tell you the truth. Percy is the same way. It just feels so weird-and amazing- to see your kid. I mean, it's just _your kid. You_ made it, not someone else. There are millions of kids in this world that you could look at, but it isn't the same.

"What are you doing up, Sarah?" I asked. Sarah's grey eyes shot up as she put the orange juice bottle down, and I'm just going to add that she didn't spill one drop, which is pretty great considering some of the six year olds I know.

"Thirsty," Sarah held up the glass as I brought one out for myself. Pouring the orange liquid into said glass, I began to wonder what Sarah would be doing if she were still with her adopted parents. I shuttered as I thought about them. I had never really met them before, but it was still weird to think of them as dead.

From the few pictures I had seen of them, they were so full of life. In fact, they had _the life._ They ruled the social scene of Westchester. "A Spanish CEO falls in love with a native New Yorker. They marry and buy a huge Westchester mansion, where they host many fundraisers-and just galas for themselves- for charity. Finally, they want children but are devastated to find they are unable. Of course, they make the best of it by adopting an adorable three month old baby who grows up into a beautiful young girl." It was only natural they become _the couple._ But out of nowhere it all ends. A shocking call is made to the family. Other rich housewives are stricken speechless to learn that their leader is dead. The company has to tell their employees what happened, and that little girl is left alone once more. At first, no one believes it. They say "But Jill was going to meet me tomorrow for a brunch and a light shopping trip!" or something like that. But they don't see them at the next functions. Toast and empty seats are made for the couple, and it seems like they'll never be forgotten. It doesn't take long before the house is sold. Another family moves in. Some other woman becomes the president of all of those charities and life goes on. In the back of their minds though, everyone wonders how their wonderful life just ended in the blink of an eye. Like me, they wonder what _really _happened in that car before it crashed.

"I better get back to bed," Sarah nodded towards the stairs, breaking me out of my trance. I nodded with a smile before taking a sip of the orange juice. Sarah had only made it up the first step before she turned around and came back towards me.

"Can I tell you something, Mom?"

I felt the familiar buzz of when she called me 'Mom'

"Of course," I told her, trying not to sound too worried.

Sarah bit her lip as she climbed up into the bar stool. She looked distraught, and it reminded me of the moment I told my dad I wanted to go to boarding school instead of staying with him.

"It's great that you're happy and all, but…" Sarah looked down at her lap and took a deep breath.

"You can tell me anything, Sarah," I reassured her.

"I don't like you dating Ryan."

I stood there in silence, completely stunned. I thought she _loved_ him, and she's suddenly telling me at one AM that she doesn't like me dating him. I tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to me. It felt surreal, like it hadn't happened. At first, I told myself this was a dream, but I told myself I wasn't asleep. This was definitely happening.

"Why not?"

Those two words were the only things I could manage to say.

"I don't know…" Sarah looked down once more, "It's like he's hiding things."

"What do you mean?" I persisted.

"I _don't_ know. It's just something about him. I mean, he was _okay_ as Coach Bazil, but I'm not sure if I like him as _Ryan, my mom's boyfriend_. And _Wyatt_! He acts like there is some big secret or something. It's just all weird," Sarah told me.

Wyatt was Ryan's four year old son. His mom, Tara, left, taking Wyatt with her, Ryan a year ago. The divorce didn't go through until a while ago, and Wyatt is just now getting back into seeing his dad a lot. We had the kids meet last week.

I didn't know what to think about this. I had only been dating Ryan for a _month_. She'll change her mind, right? But something inside me disagreed. If my daughter could see something was wrong this early into it, I needed to think this all over.

"Sarah, you should get to bed. We'll talk about this later," I told her, and she nodded. Once Sarah had disappeared up the stairs, I went to the cabinet over the Frig, where Sarah conveniently couldn't reach. Taking a bottle of Svedka, I poured a little bit of vodka into the orange juice. I took a sip of the drink, hoping it would help me relax, but it did no such thing.

_**T**_**h**_e __**N**__**e**__x_**t **_**D**_**a**_y__:_

"I thought Sarah loved Ryan," Gina, Carly's mom, told me. She looked just like her daughter, to tell you the truth. Her chocolate-brown eyes looked at everything as if she had never seen evil. Her brown hair was fashioned in what I call the 'Mom-Bob', which I would never do. I had never seen Gina tan, and she told me that she burned easily. Her baby-face looked so much like her daughter's, it was almost funny. It was hard to think of her ever being serious.

Sarah was best friends with Carly, which I'm thankful for. Percy and I were afraid that she would have trouble making friends after all that happened, but it only took two days in school until they were best friends. Carly introduced her to her other friends, and that, too, only took about a day or two. Sarah missed the last sleepover, because of Kierra's wedding, and she had been waiting for this one for weeks. It was all she could talk about for the last few days.

I brought her here about ten minutes ago, and the girls went straight into 'Slumber Party' mode. Gina, seeing I was a little out of it, asked if I was alright. I couldn't hold it in any longer and told her about how Sarah told me she didn't like Ryan.

"So did I," I sighed, trying to look happy to know I wasn't the only one who had thought that.

"Have you talked to Ryan about this all, yet?" Gina asked me.

"No," I shook my head, "He's out of town for something with work."

"What are you talking about?" Gina asked with surprise, "I work with him, and he's not going anywhere. Ryan has to stay in town for his divorce. It'll be any day now that it's final."

"_What?_ He told me his divorce went through _months ago_!"

Gina stood there in surprise for a moment. Her thin lips made a crisp line as if she were thinking. I tried not to do the same. Thinking was impossible for me at this point. Finally, she met my gaze with a resolution.

"I saw his wife, Tara, a few days ago. She told me that she was so excited to have this divorce over with after he left her a year ago," Gina continued.

"_He _told me that _she_ _left him_."

I was done with being shocked. I was _angry_ now.

"I'm starting to think Sarah was right about him," Gina told me, her gaze full of pity and encouragement.

I hated when people gave me that luck. I've been getting it my entire life. "Oh, you ran away from home!", "Your mom left you?", "Your father married and barely paid attention to you?", "Your best friend betrayed you- and tried to kill the world and gods?", "Your boyfriend of two months suddenly disappeared?", "You and your boyfriend and trying unsuccessfully to pull off a long distance relationship?", "Your twenty, pregnant, and single?", or something like that always got me that look.

I simply nodded towards Gina.

_**XXXXXX**_

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on Ryan's apartment door. A pizza man let me in, and I was happy about that. I wanted his guilty little ass to be surprised. But it also proved bad for me. As I drove over here, I couldn't hold back the thoughts like I had hoped I could. My mind wandered to _why_ he had lied to me. There were many things I could come up with.

Maybe he really liked me and didn't want me to think of him as a married jerk who left his wife and their three year old son.

Maybe he used this all as a cover. He would meet women at a swim thing for their kids and would tell them this sad story about how his wife left him and took his son. Then, maybe out of pity or something, they'd go on a date or something, and he would be his perfect self. And I was just a victim.

Maybe he thought I wouldn't go out with him if I knew the truth.

Maybe Ryan is cheating on me and makes up these stories, which I sadly fall for.

Maybe he isn't ready to talk about his divorce, like Percy.

Maybe he still loves his wife or something.

As the door knob opened, my heart skipped a beat, wondering what he'd say.

But, none of my possibilities prepared me for what I saw when that door opened.

_Oh. My. Gods._

"May I help you?" a familiar woman asked.

Her auburn hair flowed down around her and the single garment she was wearing, Ryan's tee shirt. He wore it on the day I first saw him. Her amber eyes were as pretty as the gemstone they were named after. She seemed to be a size four, but there was no question about her having implants. Even in a NYU tee shirt that was way too big for her, she was pretty.

_Really _pretty.

"Who are you?" I asked before I could think about it.

"Amber, Ryan's girlfriend. Who are _you_?" her eyes narrowed as she assessed me. There was something about her that reminded me of Renee. Maybe it was how pretty it was, but I think it had to do with how she was giving me a 'once-over' to see if she was prettier than me.

"Where's Ryan?"

"The kitchen," Amber answered. There was something in her eyes that knew to let me in, which I was thankful for. She moved away from the door, and I didn't pause or anything. I went straight there, looking at Ryan.

His smile was definite, and there was no question about it being him.

He didn't seem to notice me, which gave me a smug satisfaction.

"_A work seminar_, eh?"

Ryan froze as if I had thrown a paralyzing dart instead of said four simple words. It took ten seconds before he turned around to look at me.

I was still wearing the Harvard tee shirt and jeans I had thrown on this morning. My curly hair was being held up by a red ponytail holder. Comparatively, I'm sure Amber was way more attractive at the moment, but he didn't look at her. He looked at _me_.

"Your plan was brilliant, Ryan. Say your wife left, taking your son along with him, and that all you want is to find someone who could _really_ love you. But I'm afraid your wife let the cat out of the bag by telling your co-worker that she just couldn't wait for the divorce to be over after _you_ left her but that she hated how you _both _had to stay in town this weekend in case the lawyers called."

I stood there, angry beyond belief. I didn't want to scream. I wanted this asshole to pay.

"What is she talking about, Ryan?" Amber piped up for the first time.

"Yeah, Ryan, _what _am I talking about?" I crossed my arms, wanting to hear his answer.

Ryan stuttered, knowing the game was over.

And he_ lost._

"You don't understand," he tried, but neither of us bought it.

"What do I not understand, Ryan?" Amber screamed.

But I couldn't manage it. I just simply looked at him with pain and disappointment. I turned myself around and let Amber scream to the top of her lungs. I just wanted to get out of here.

"Annabeth, wait," he stopped me.

This time I was going to give him hell.

"What? You cheated on me. You lied to me. You lied to my _daughter._ I hope that spot in the next class is still open because I don't want you anywhere near her," I growled. Ryan didn't say anything. He just looked at me with surprise. I opened the front door was about to leave when I decided to say one last thing.

"Oh, Ryan, remember last Friday night?" I smiled, "Faked it."

With that, I closed the door behind me and went straight to the elevator before he could respond. When the door was safely closed and I was all alone, I let it all sink in.

He was cheating on me. He lied to me. He lied to Sarah.

I tried to cry, but I couldn't. I only felt anger. Honestly, I didn't _care_. I was only angry at myself for not figuring it out.

As I stood there, I really thought about it. Did I ever _care_? Did I really like him or did I _tell_ myself that I did? When I asked myself that, I realized I didn't _want_ Ryan. I _wanted_ to prove that I didn't have to be with Percy Jackson.

But I _did._


	11. Some CAN Be Trusted

Percy:

I stared out the window, remembering other times.

They weren't necessarily better times, but they were _other _times.

I remembered the day I met my wife, Calli. She was from South Carolina and had just moved to New York City. She was a writer, basically talking about the Millionaire's social life and such. Calli was at an event for my company, where I met her, and I fell for her southern charm instantly. I even remember the first moment I saw her.

My friend, Nick, was talking about work. I had been listening completely until I saw _her_. Over his shoulder, I could see a woman in the middle of the party. She was wearing a black evening gown, making her summer-fresh tan seem darker. Her brown eyes scanned the crowd, and her lips were pursed as if she was searching for someone. Calli's brown hair was straight and brought back in the front in a way that reminded me of a goddess for some reason. I excused myself from Nick and went straight over to her.

It didn't take long until we were a couple, and we went through the usual dating stuff. She met my mom, and I met her parents. Her brothers scared me, and my mom loved her. I fell in love with her when we went to Charleston for a summer vacation. Actually, it was as she taught me the shag on the warm sand and how her smile always brightened at the beach.

I asked her dad for his daughter's hand in marriage about three years ago. We were young, but I knew I wanted to marry her. She reminded me so much of Annabeth, and I couldn't let her get away too. I asked on New Year's Eve, and we were married by April. That's when we moved out of our old place to here, where we could have enough room if we wanted kids, which I did. Calli wanted to wait, so I did. Then, I came home one day, where she was smiling. She held up a positive pregnancy test as if there was no question at all if it was mine. I was always too busy to go to a doctor's appointment with her, and I wanted to end that. I told her I'd come to one, but she shook her head saying no. I didn't think anything of it at the time, of course. A week later, I got a call from the doctor, telling me she missed an appointment.

It was then that the nurse let it slip.

She told me that, just as Calli requested, they got her test results back as to how far along she was. The time was impossible because I was at a work retreat for two weeks when this baby was supposedly conceived. My mind was reeling as I hung up. I didn't believe it as first. About three minutes after I hung up the phone, Calli walked in. I confronted her, and she didn't deny a thing. While I was still in shock with everything, Calli packed a bag and left. I barely even noticed her leaving.

It wasn't too long after that that she sent me the divorce papers.

The divorce went through about two weeks ago, and her baby was just born. Calli even used the name I picked out, Amanda. I've never met the little girl. I don't think I would be able to handle it. No, I _know_ I couldn't handle it.

There were days where I thought about the times when I thought that baby was mine. Calli and I sat around, thinking of names. I told my mom, who was overjoyed. We went nursery shopping together. It was everything I wanted to do with Annabeth but never did. I baby-proofed pretty much everything in sight. And then one day, everything shattered.

I was fine about the divorce, but there were days were I woke up, expecting to see Calli asleep beside me. But I didn't. Sometimes, I came home thinking I'd see Calli, but I don't. If anything, I just missed that baby that I was so sure was mine.

I took the empty bottle of vodka that was sitting beside me and threw it away. It felt weird not to see everything perfectly organized like Calli had been obsessed with. It saddened me to think about her, about Annabeth, and sometimes even about Sarah. She was the only good thing I had in my life these days, and I definitely wasn't going to let her go like I did before.

I heard a knock at the door, and I pulled myself together.

Going straight to the door, I forced myself not to think of my two most prominent exes, Annabeth and Calli. Calli simply haunted me, but Annabeth was a mixture. Memories of her made me frown and smile at the same time. It's weird, really weird.

"Annabeth?" I asked. She really didn't come over here.

_Ever._

It makes sense and all. After what happened seven years ago…

I bit my lip to stop thinking of that.

"Okay, so did everyone know Ryan was cheating?" Annabeth asked, and I knit my eyebrows in confusion.

"Uh…huh?"

"Sarah told me that she didn't like him. Gina knew he was lying to me. And I found out that he was cheating. So, did you have a hunch that he might have been cheating?" Annabeth asked, looking up at me with those big grey eyes.

I held my fingers about a centiliter apart as if to say 'a little bit'.

"And nobody told me?" Annabeth complained.

"Wanna come in?" I asked, and Annabeth nodded, still in thought. She did and continued to stay in her thinking trance as she sat down on the couch. Annabeth crossed her arms across a Harvard tee shirt, and I sat beside her.

"You okay?"

"That's the weird thing! I'm perfect. I don't care that we're over or anything. I just care that no one told me. _He_ was lying. _Sarah _didn't tell me until today that she didn't trust him. _Gina_ didn't tell me all these things that he had been lying about until now._ You _didn't tell me that you thought he might be cheating," Annabeth didn't look at me. She just looked out the window, like I had before.

"So, you don't give a damn that you broke up with Ryan, but you care about everyone lying?" I asked in confusion.

"Yeah," Annabeth nodded, "I told him off and left, and I'm going to take up on that offer to bump Sarah up to the next age group. I don't want him anywhere near Sarah. So, I started thinking."

"About what?" I could tell from the look in her eyes that she wanted me to keep this going. Annabeth loves to do this all. I never really liked it because she usually had something important to say but wouldn't just come out with it, like I have told her to do a million times. Instead, Annabeth just ends up rolling her eyes and saying "I will speak how I want to speak."

"_You."_

I had no clue what to say after that. My brain stopped working, even though I had no clue how she was going to finish that. She could easily say something like 'I'm sorry for our past' or something. But I didn't think she was. There was something in her eyes that I had seen once before…. _on my sixteenth birthday._

"Good or bad?"

"Both, I guess. I just started thinking about…_seven years ago_," she told me, letting the words sink in.

It was a hard topic for both of us. I had never stopped thinking about it, though I tried.

That day had started out simple. I went to class. Grover came over to get away from Juniper-who was in wedding planning mode-but the official reason was that I needed help studying. He went home, and it wasn't too long after that when Annabeth called me, saying she was on her way. I had really missed her and was glad about seeing her, but I knew something had to be up for this to be going on. I was scared at first, but it got way worse when I saw the look on her face.

Annabeth sat me down and told me four positive pregnancy tests that she took. I was really shocked-like _insanely_. I tried to think of how we'd work this all out when she told me she wanted to put it up for adoption. We got in a fight where she left, saying she was going to put that baby up for adoption with or without my consent.

That's when Annabeth went out the front door, leaving me alone.

It all went downhill from there, and the last thing she said to me was "I'll make sure you don't get a say."

"You mean…_the fight_?"

I swallowed, trying not to seem nervous, but I hated to bring it up. _EVER_. I didn't even tell my ex-wife, Calli, the full story. Instead, I simpled it down, saying Annabeth put the baby up for adoption and I couldn't get it back as it had already been adopted. It even felt weird to talk about it to Annabeth.

"Yeah," Annabeth nodded, "And I was thinking about Kierra's wedding, too."

Okay, now her point is lost on me.

"Get anything, Wise Girl?" I smiled, trying to fill a smile in my awkward feelings.

"_Sort of_…" Annabeth paused, "Why'd you tell me to go for it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"That night when we were driving home. You told me that you were happy I was moving on and you basically screamed 'go-for-Ryan'. I want to know why you did," Annabeth answered.

I began to vaguely remember said event. It was a dark, cold night with Sarah fast asleep in the car. I was tired and a little hung over. Annabeth was staring out at the night, looking as beautiful as ever, which made not wrecking even more of a chore. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. I knew Ryan had been a sore subject with her, and I also knew I wasn't helping with that. Annabeth tried to let 'Better With the Lights Off' calm her down, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to see it wouldn't work. Pretty much out of nowhere, Annabeth says my name, and I cut her off. I told her that I was happy if she was happy or something like that. Annabeth didn't say a word.

Instead, Sarah informed me three days later that Ryan and Annabeth were then a 'couple'

"I don't know. Why does it matter?" I asked, still wondering where she was going with this.

"It _matters _because of what I wanted to say that night before you cut me off," Annabeth looked dead straight into my eyes with a serious face, "So, why did you say it?"

For this I really tried to dig deep, but I knew_ exactly_ what it was.

I wanted her to be happy because I thought she could never be happy with me, and Ryan was Mr. Perfect back then. We all thought he was the kind of guy who deserved a girl like Annabeth, not a guy who got her pregnant when she was twenty-one.

"I… I thought you would be better off with Bazil. I mean, you couldn't be happy with _me_," I answered as if it were simple. Annabeth paused and thought about this. This usually didn't mean anything good as I had learned over the many years we were together, especially when she was mad at me.

"Why not?"

I didn't say anything out of pure shock. So, she kept going.

"Why _couldn't_ I be happy with you?"

This one caught me off guard.

"I was happy before. Why not now?" Annabeth asked, and I think I _finally_ understood where she was going with this. I tried to think of an answer, but there wasn't really a sensible one. The truth was that we ended so badly about something so important. It would always be there.

"Well, I mean, _seven years ago_ kind of set it all. We'll always be thinking about it," I tried, but I could tell she wasn't going to go for it.

"Yeah, when I was young and an idiot. We agree on this now," Annabeth reasoned.

"But…"

"Listen," Annabeth took a deep breath, obviously tired of this bantering "I still love you, and either you do or don't. Just answer, Percy."

I started to think about it. I definitely did. There was no question about that, but I wasn't sure if she _actually_ did. She just found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, and she comes straight here to tell me this. There has to be something more to it.

"Why are you asking _now_?"

Now, Annabeth was the confused one.

"_What_?" she asked.

"You just found out your boyfriend was cheating, and you come here to say this. I'm not just rebound, Annabeth," I told her, and Annabeth looked at me like I was an idiot for a moment.

"What the _hell_ are you_ talking_ about? I was only with him because I was trying to prove I didn't _have_ to be with you, and I couldn't do it because I _do_," Annabeth answered on the verge of yelling.

Got my answer.

Before I could say anything or she could start screaming, I kissed her.

Annabeth was completely surprised for a moment but gave in soon enough. I always knew this was the way to make her stop thinking, which therefore meant no yelling. It was a trick I had used countless times before and was happy to know it still worked.

It didn't work as well it had before because she pulled up about to say something.

"So, you kiss me and think everything is alright?"

"Well, yeah," I smirked.

"It's working," Annabeth pulled me closer to her.


	12. Chapter Twelve

_**Annabeth:**_

I heard the familiar beep of my Droid X sound throughout the early morning hours.

"Don't answer that," Percy mumbled. Drowsy, I grabbed my cell phone from the bedside table.

_Gina_

"It's Gina," I moaned.

"Answer it," Percy sighed, and I did as he said by pressing accept.

In the background, I could hear the sounds of little girls laughing, including Gina's. There are some people who I can't imagine at a slumber party, like my own mother, but I have no difficulty picturing Gina there. Infact, I imagined her being at the center of it all, maybe even wearing matching pajamas as her daughter, Carly.

"Annabeth, what happened with you and Ryan?" Gina impatiently asked me. I could tell that she had been waiting all day to ask me that. I wasn't sure what to tell her. The truth would be too much to simply state over a phone call. Even if it wasn't, I'm not so sure this would be the right time anyway.

"Uh, we broke up," I bit my tongue, knowing this conversation could now take hours. Gina int give up on things like this. She wanted the _whole story_.

"Are you going to tell her?" Percy's eyes flew open, and I immediately shook my head. I would _eventually_, but this isn't the kind of girl who would take well to me admitting it. I mean, she almost died when she heard that I hooked up with Ryan. I couldn't imagine her reaction to this.

"Oh my God! Are you okay, Sweetie?" Gina asked, her voice filled with compassion. I was better than okay. I was great. I was happier than anything.

I couldn't tell _her_ that though.

"Yeah, Gina, I'm fine. We weren't right for each other, and I didn't need to be with a liar like him," I answered, wanting this conversation to end. Percy watched me with his eyebrows knit.

"Annabeth, now that you're single again, I know this one guy I know you'll love. He has a child, Rebecca, and he's older than you. But I think the two of you will get along well," Gina probably would have gone on for hours until I cut her off.

"I don't think that'll be necessary, Gina. Right now is just a really critical time for Sarah…and me…and Percy," I smiled at the last bit and looked at him.

"_It's not that hot," Percy shrugged. I steamed at that, ignoring the pun as to how it was a hot July day. Using the oar, I splashed that beautiful face of his._

"_Hey," Percy laughed, trying to be mad. It was hard for him to be mad at me. Usually, he just tries to look angry, but he just ends up laughing and kissing me. Of course, I don't mind. Personally, I love it. I can do just about anything and I'll end up with a kiss. It's really a win-win for me. _

"_Yeah, I'm out in a boat in the middle of the lake on a hot July day with my boyfriend who knows exactly how to steer this freakin' boat!" I pouted, splashing him again. _

_I hadn't been in a good mood all day. I didn't know why but I just wasn't. I think it had to do with the fact that Malcolm freaked out this morning when I got in to my cabin. Percy and I had a fight- again-, and I fell asleep in his cabin after we worked it out-again. We didn't do anything-this time-but Malcolm just freaked out, even when I told him that, minus the 'this time' thing. I don't think he'd handle that well. _

"_It can't be that bad," Percy shrugged._

"_I'm. Being. Burned. By. A. _Boat_, Perce."_

_Percy shook his head, probably realizing I had a point. I tried to see the positive in the situation. I was alone with my boyfriend in the middle of the lake, far away from my siblings, but the negative just stuck to me. _

"_Why'd we really come out here?" I asked, with my arms crossed. Percy stared off into the sun shining into the green water. It took all of my willpower not to dive off into the cool water, and I'm not sure I made a good choice with that._

"_Malcolm scares me," Percy looked back at me with that goofy grin I loved so much. I tried to shove his leg with my foot, but it just made the boat rock a little bit. His skin felt cool, and I wanted to get closer to him for some off reason. I shook it off, hoping it went away._

_Percy, ignoring the shaking of the boat, tried to shove me. With that, I almost fell in , and he grabbed my wrist. I forgot about the hot day or Malcolm. All I could think of was Percy as I looked into his beautiful green eyes, and that was all I wanted to think about._

"_Still such a bad day?"_

"_Shut up," I smiled, moving to where I could kiss him without tipping the canoe._

"Alright, alright. I understand, Annabeth. Anyway, Sarah was just a sweetheart. Pick-Up is in thirty minutes or so, but she can stay longer if you want," Gina treated me like I suppose a newly divorced woman in the suburbs would be treated.

"No, I'll pick her up in thirty minutes. It's fine, Gina. I'm going to try to spend some time with Sarah this weekend. So, I'll call you on Monday," I started to sit up in bed even though I was still really tired. It was nine am, but I felt like it was five.

"Okay. Okay, I get it. You need some alone time," Gina surrendered, "See you soon then."

I hung up the phone before she could say anything else. I closed my eyes, thinking of Sarah. I knew that she would love the news that Percy and I were back together, but I didn't know how to tell her. We hadn't even brought up the gods being her grandparents. This was so much.

"You okay?" Percy asked, making me open my eyes.

And there was the upside to use getting back together.

I had him.

"Just thinking about Sarah…and _my mom_," I bit my lip as I looked at him. Athena was a hard subject for us, especially now. Percy almost laughed as if the thought of her murdering him was hilarious. Personally, it made me want to kiss him.

"She's not going to take hearing about us well," Percy nodded.

"But you know Aphrodite will be just screaming it for all the gods to hear," I smiled, and he smiled, too. I could just picture Aphrodite running towards the court, wearing a plush pink robe, and it was enough to make me fall of the bed from laughing.

"Yeah, and Apollo will of course be hung over. So, he'll get mad at Aphrodite."

"And Hephaestus will defend her."

"And Ares will agree with Apollo that she should shut up," I kept going.

"Then your mom will look up from her cup of tea and shake her head," Percy sat up beside me.

"And, finally, Zeus will shut everybody up and ask what it is that Aphrodite is so excited about," I smiled.

"She'll answer, and our parents will almost die. But, after that, it's official," Percy smiled.

"We're officially back together?" I asked, knowing the answer. Percy just smiled and kissed me as if that was a response, which let me tell you it wasn't.

_**XXXXXXX**_

"How was the sleepover?" I asked as I set Sarah's bag by the dining table. Sarah looked tired, which told me she had fun. But she wasn't smiling.

"I heard Mrs. Fredrick. She said you and Ryan broke up. Is that true? Sarah asked, still standing by the door. I sighed before nodding. I didn't regret leaving Ryan. I regretted how long it went on, and I regretted that night I chose Ryan instead of Percy.

"Was it because of what I told you?" Sarah asked.

Here it goes.

Percy was coming over soon to spend the weekend with the two of us, and we were saving telling her about us until then. So, now, I just had to tell her the Ryan part, trying to leave the bad parts out.

I motioned towards the sofa, and Sarah followed me. I looked at her a moment before continuing. She looked exactly like me other than the hair, but I saw something Percy-like in her. As I tried to place it, I realize that it was her eyes. They were grey like mine, but there was this sweetness about them. It was kind and generous. It was what I loved most about Percy, and I was happy to see that Sarah shared it.

I've known that she is our daughter, but it didn't really sink in until now. Up until this moment, she was my daughter and his daughter. She wasn't _our _daughter, but there it was. Sarah was the best of us put into one, and I loved her. I began to wonder how I had let her go all of those years ago. Now, I'd let her go over my dead body, but I just signed the papers.

Of course, I hated leaving Percy, but leaving Sarah was the biggest regret I will _ever_ have.

"Ryan and I weren't meant to be together. We had been talking about letting you bump up to the next class, and Ryan agreed. We were having a fight," I left out that the fight had been about him cheating, "and we were thinking of reasons to stay together," I left out how I just decided and walked out, "And neither of us had any."

Sarah nodded.

"Besides, I could never love anyone _nearly_ as much as I love you. It wouldn't be fair to them," I smiled. Sarah simply smiled, which I noticed was the first time since I picked her up. Sarah became that bubbly six year old girl I loved to so much, to my relief. I began to wonder why I was dumb enough to stay with Ryan for even a day.

"Why don't you go put up your stuff? Dad will be here soon," I told Sarah, and her eyes lit up even more. Sarah nodded, sending her black hair into a frenzy. It was a little adorable to tell you the truth. I didn't say anything as she left me on the couch and went up the stairs.

The cold air conditioner made almost shiver, and the sun reflecting on all the white in here almost gave me a migraine. This was the moment I finally got to think about _everything_.

Ryan cheated. I left. I went to Percy. I took forever to tell him I still loved him, and it was pretty cheesy, to tell you the truth…

I was happier than I had been in years, but I was still scared to absolute death. Let's not even mention my mother. But, we're both stubborn. We have a six year old daughter. And look how well our relationship went the first time.

The doorbell rang, shaking me out of my thoughts. I wiped the smile off my face and got up, knowing it would be Percy. Or at least, I was _hoping_ it was Percy. For the millionth time, I began to wonder about Percy's ex-wife, who I still have not heard much about. Honestly, knowing Percy, it's a miracle that I know her name. I didn't know why she would cheat on Percy. I mean, what more could you want than him?

I opened the front door, trying not to think of the past. It was too painful anyway. If I started thinking of Calli, I'd think of Percy being married. Then, I'd think of when I left him. And I'd remember the painfully lonely seven years or so that came after I left him. It was hard to think of Percy moving on while I just threw myself into my work. He got married, for Zeus's sake! I bit my lip not to think about it.

"Coffee?" Percy stood at the door, holding two cups Starbucks coffee. I smiled and let him in. Percy handed me the cup, and I sipped at it, letting the hot liquid surge caffeine through my veins. The fog making it hard to think started to lift, and I smiled at it. I was still tired, but I could manage now.

"Sarah's in her room… Gina let it slip that Ryan and I split. I had to tell her an edited version as to how it happened," I told him, and Percy quizzically looked at me as if to say 'This outghta be good'

"Annabeth, you caught him cheating, broke up with him, and used one of the lowest lines I've heard in years. How did you _edit_ it?" Percy raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over a NYU tee shirt.

"I said that we had a fight and it was a mutual agreement. Then, I told her that she was getting bumped up to the next grade in her swim class," I shrugged, taking another sip of coffee.

"If your break-up was peaceful, then Calli and I had the dream divorce," Percy smirked as he set his bag down and took a sip of his own coffee. I did my best not to speak about that. I liked that he was finally speaking to me about her, but I still wasn't happy about the fact that while I was biting my lip not to cry that he was writing his vows.

"What's the plan with telling You-Know-Who?" I immediately changed the subject.

"What are we telling _Voldemort_?" Percy smirked, and I crossed my arms so I wouldn't laugh.

"Hilarious, Perce," I kept my arms crossed, and Percy just laughed. My heat skipped a beat at the sight of his warm smile, but I tried not to think about it. Instead, I just looked at him as if I was still mad.

"Annabeth, just calm down. It won't be too hard," Percy put his arm around my shoulder, but I persisted anyway. He might be right. He probably was, but I was going to tell _him_ that. Percy kissed my blonde curls as if to soothe me. I closed my eyes for a second.

"I love you, Percy," I set my head down on his shoulder, and he kissed the top of my head again.

"_Seriously_?" Sarah's voice made me open my eyes immediately, "After _all _I did to get you back together, it took _talking to Ryan_!"

Percy and I looked at each other with one thought in mind.

_Definitely our kid._


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_**ATHENA'S POV:**_

I stared out at the beautiful morning. The sun was high, and the glittering streets of Olympus shone. I had to admit that Annabeth did an amazing job, but she was _my daughter_ after all. Not all of the Olympians were here yet, but I didn't mind Aphrodite not being here. Zeus obviously didn't feel the same way as he was drumming his fingers on his thrown. None of us were happy to be here so early in the morning, but we _were_ here.

I let the peaceful moment set in as I sipped at my cup of Jasmine tea and looked down at the tablet telling me about the stock market this morning.

And just like that, the moment was ruined.

Aphrodite's giddy yells started to give me a migraine. When she made it in, she was quite the sight. Her blonde hair was up in rollers, and she was wearing a hot pink robe with a princess crown on the back. Her blue eyes were ecstatic. She panted with having to run from her mansion straight here in plush slippers.

"You will never believe this!" Aphrodite reminded me of those sorority girls I saw when visiting my latest boyfriend, Samuel. I had plans to meet him to discuss Ancient Greek Society, which he was a professor of at Brown, after lunch. I hadn't seen him in quite some time, and I was looking forward to seeing him. But these meetings usually take hours, and an Aphrodite with news makes it longer.

"She knows she's in a bathrobe, right?" Apollo whispered in my ear, taking a break from his morning Mojito, and his breath was heavy with alcohol. I had to admit that he was… What's the word everyone saying now? Hot? Either way, he was that. His cool blue eyes made him seem sweet, not a self-obsessed womanizer. His sandy blonde hair looked perfect, and his tan skin shone in the morning light. He was dressed in a professional suit, making him even more appealing to me. Of course, eons together had made us like siblings. So, I ignored those thoughts.

Aphrodite glared at him.

"What? I have no problem with it. Wear Bathrobes to all of the meetings. Maybe even _less_. I'd actually be content with it," Apollo smiled that womanizing smile, and Aphrodite snapped her perfectly manicured hand, transforming herself.

Her blonde curls cascaded down her back. The blue Greek robes reminded me of the Caribbean sea's water, making her blue eyes shine even brighter. Her make-up was perfect, of course, and her perfect shade of pink lips formed a pout as if to say that she was pissed with Apollo. He simply sipped at his drink, not caring. He's slept with her enough times to be bored.

"What is it this time? Your closet is last season or something?" Hera asked tiredly. She looked down at her manicure as if to say that the Queen of the Gods had better things to do than this, which she really didn't. Her brown hair was in the usual up-do, and I wanted to punch her, as usual. Her high cheekbones made her amber eyes seem even _more _cruel, which I thought was impossible. She was wearing her usual robes while most of us were wearing human clothes. I almost cried with joy that I had no mother instead of being stuck with Hera to thank for my existence. I would rather spend eternity shopping on Melrose with Aphrodite than call Hera "Mother".

"We shall not speak of such things!" Aphrodite crossed her heart.

"I wish. I'm behind on deliveries because of all those personal shoppers sending stuff that she has in the human world," Hermes mumbled, and Aphrodite glared at him before turning her attention to Ares as if to scream "_Defend me, you ass!"_ Ares, being Ares, didnt.

"When's my grenade launcher getting here? It's a week late," Ares crossed his muscled arms and Aphrodite huffed as if to say "_You just screwed up your chances of getting lucky…"_

"Oh come on. Let Aphrodite spread her news," Hephaestus smiled, and Aphrodite beamed. I knew that, while Ares's chances of getting laid were slim, Hephaestus had a fighting chance.

"Yeah, go ahead, Aphrodite," Poseidon told her half-heartedly as he flipped through a fishing magazine.

My nose crinkled in disgust.

He was so much like his son.

For years, I hated his son because of his father. But, now, I hated _his father because of his son_.

Perseus Jackson was an ass who deserved to rot in the underworld. I was proud of my daughter for ignoring him and only being around him because of their daughter.

"Okay, so, I was watching the human world like I always do when I'm painting my nails-"

Apollo stifled a yawn and downed his drink, snapping his fingers for another.

"And I was just looking through the channels when I found a couple got back together!"

"How is this news?" Artemis crossed her arms over a silver dress. Aphrodite narrowed her eyes at Artemis.

"_Because_," Aprhodite looked away from Artemis and too the rest of us, "it was _the_ couple!"

"Still not following," Apollo piped up.

"Who is '_the _couple'?" Zeus asked, getting interested in this for the first time.

"Ugh," Aphrodite rolled her eyes as if she was dealing with idiots, "It's _the_ couple, Silly. Who is my favorite couple of _all time_?"

"William and Kate?"

"Paris and Helen?"

"Brad and Angelina?"

Aphrodite crossed her arms, annoyed.

"No, Kate ignored my suggestion for her wedding gown. Helen turned into a bitch. And Brad and Angelina had _way _too many kids," Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

"Just tell us, Aphrodite," I begged, exasperated, taking a sip of my tea.

Her blue eyes became cruel, and I felt my heart stop when I heard the three words I didn't want to hear most in the world.

"_Percy. And. Annabeth_."

I began to cough up Jasmine tea, making Apollo shift as not to get anything on his new Armani suit. While I missed him, I got it all over my jeans and tablet. The hot liquid burned my skin, and I knew that I got a stain that wouldn't come out on my new white blouse. I didn't care though. Only three words could register in my mind.

_What the hell?_

_**Annabeth:**_

"Good morning," Percy kissed the top of my head and pulled himself up to sit on the countertop. It was Sunday, two days after we got back together. Sarah was fine with it of course, and Percy spent the weekend over here. Percy would be going home this afternoon. I didn't know how Sarah-or_ I_ could- could handle him leaving after we got used to this. I wanted to move in with him, but I also didn't want to rush anything. I didn't want to lose him again.

"Hey," I smiled at him as I pressed the start button on the coffee machine. Sarah was still asleep, and she would probably stay asleep for hours. I turned my attention back to her father, who was smiling.

"Why are you so happy?" I smiled, and Percy simply shrugged.

"Because I can be," he got down from the countertop and just walked around. I tried to focus on how it was now a family tradition to make bacon on Sunday morning, and I'm just going to go ahead and tell you that I suck at it. And I don't mean maybe burn the bacon. I mean, Sarah comes down stairs with a _fire extinguisher _and watches me make it in case it catches on fire.

"Uh-huh," I crossed my arms over a Harvard sweatshirt. I was still in my pajamas while Percy was completely dress. The worst part was that it took just about the same time for me to get out of bed for him to be all dressed.

Percy just looked at me like I was insane.

"Is it so wrong for a guy to be happy?" Percy smiled as he crossed his arms.

"No, I'm just wondering when I'll get time to go back over the ground rules," I shrugged.

"_Ground rules_?"

"You know, the things we just need to know about each other before the relationship starts up seriously again," I answered.

"Like?" Percy continued to knit his eyebrows. I guess he had never had this talk before. Calli probably didn't do it, and Percy learned my rules after four years of friendship. So this was new, but I had given every boyfriend- and even just friends- this.

"Like even when I'm wrong I'm right, and never, _ever_- and I do mean _ever_-mention seven years ago," I let the look in my eyes tell him that I was completely serious. Percy nodded.

"Do I get rules?"

"Why not?" I shrugged.

"Okay, once a year, I get to point out that when you're wrong that you're _wrong_. And , when Sarah is older, I never, _ever-_ and I do mean _ever_- have to pick up tampons. _Ever_," the look in Percy's eyes told me he was serious, too.

"Deal," I nodded, trying to picture him doing it in the first place, which was almost impossible for me. I mean, it's so simple, but I just can't imagine Percy doing it.

"You do know you just screwed up, right?" I smiled.

"How?" Percy looked at me skeptically.

"You said when Sarah was _older_. What about now?" I smirked with my arms crossed.

"Oh damn it," Percy's pretty face fell.

"Don't worry. I won't use this piece of information unless I get _really_ pissed, Seaweed Brain," I smiled, happy to know that I had the upper-hand in this relationship just like I did years ago.

"Considering that sentence ended with 'Seaweed Brain', I'm screwed," Percy smiled even though I knew that he wanted to bang his head on a wall or something.

"That's right."

"Shut up," Percy walked closer to me, and, before I knew what was going on, he kissed me.

"_What the hell?_"

I looked up at saw a sight I didn't want to _ever_ see again.

Athena was wearing a stained white blouse (Jasmine tea or Coffee or something?) and a pair of jeans. Her brown hair was pulled into a side braid, making her grey eyes seem even brighter. Those eyes were cold and bitter, sending chills down my spine. I don't think I had seen her so angry in years.

Beside her was even more shocking.

Poseidon, who looked just like Percy, was standing there. His green eyes were angry, too, and I swallowed nervously.

Oh damn it.

"Annabeth, you're a smart girl, but you're being an idiot about this little ass-"

"What do you mean _Annabeth_ is being the idiot? _She _took _his daughter_ away from him," Poseidon cut Athena off.

"_Percy_ got her pregnant when they were too young, and he asked too much of her," Athena turned to where she was facing Poseidon.

"I know you're a _virgin goddess_, but-"

"Oh, and you are just an expert at that, aren't you, Poseidon?"

"Why you-"Poseidon's anger began to flare

"Guys," I cut in, not wanting my kitchen to become a godly war zone.

Their attention turned back to me- and Percy who was beside me- and I found that I preferred my kitchen being destroyed than their cold glares.

"We had to hear from _Aphrodite, _Annabeth._ Aphrodite_! The look on that little bitch's face!" Athena ranted.

"Percy, you're married," Poseidon's eyes were soft and disappointed.

"He's _married_!"

"Divorced," I quickly reassured them. Athena still glared at Percy though.

"It was so humiliating! How could you do this to me, Annabeth?" Athena asked, and I tried not to quickly retort. She didn't know the half of being humiliated.

Being humiliated was hearing bullies say "You're mom left because you're a loser, Egghead". Then it got worse when boys came into the picture. "You're _mom_ left you. Why would _he _want _you_ when even _she didn't_?"

It's not like she was 'Mommy', and I didn't expect her to be. But I felt like I was her daughter when it was convenient, which is _not_ something a hormonal teenager needs to feel.

I almost felt smug satisfaction about this moment.

_Almost._

"Well, it wasn't too long ago, and we wanted to work things out before we told you," I tried, but she didn't go for it.

"_Aphrodite_, Annabeth! _Aphrodite_!"

"How can you do this? I mean, Annabeth took_ your daughter_, Percy," Poseidon tried, and Athena glared at him.

"Oh you think Percy is the innocent party in this situation?" her arms were crossed, and her eyebrow was cocked.

"Well it's certainly _not Annabeth_!"

"Oh and why not?"

"Percy, we have to stop this," I whispered to Percy, and he nodded. I knew he didn't have a plan, which was a new one, and the worst part was that I didn't either. There was nothing we could do. All we _could_ do would be watching in horror as the scene unfolds, which is _not_ something Annabeth does.

_Ever._

I summed up all of my courage and went to stand in front of them, dragging Percy behind me of course. I wasn't going to do this _alone_. It was _our_ burden, not _just_ mine.

"Whoever the guilty party is," Athena grit her teeth before turning her attention to us, "The fact is that it happened. So, why are you doing this_ again_?"

I knew she wouldn't understand it if I said love, but it _was_ true. I was doing this because I loved him. That was why _all of this_ was going on. I loved him more than anything in the world, other than Sarah of course. They were the only things I needed in life, but Athena wouldn't understand that.

She could love, sure, but they were all humans. She knew it wouldn't work. The only man I know she has loved was my father. She gets over all the other guys, and she _hadn't_ gotten over him. But she let him go. She left him with a daughter and watched as he got married and started his own family with her. Athena wouldn't get it when I explained how much I loved Percy. Sure, he _did_ get married, but I wouldn't have let it happen if I had known.

"These are our lives, not yours."

It was the only thing I could come up with, and I knew it didn't go well. I began to tune out the conversation Percy was having with his father. I knew that Poseidon secretly liked me. He thought I was good for Percy, which I was. I was really the reason he was alive, and he was the same for me. Poseidon would get over the 'Sarah' thing eventually, but Athena_ wouldn't_.

"I am _your mother_. You're_ alive_ because of _me,_" Athena's voice was cruel and reminded me of Hera, which was a scary thought.

"What?"

The voice I heard after that was much worse than when I heard Athena earlier.

Sarah.

We all turned our attention to where she stood at the top of the stairs, staring at us.

"You're my grandparents?"

Percy and I looked at each other for a moment.

I knew that this was the time to tell her about my mother and his father, but I wasn't sure if now was the time for the god thing.

Was she too young?

But she would figure something out. Athena looked younger than me, and she often talked of her Greek god past. Athena would never age, and Sarah was a smart girl, especially considering I just knew Poseidon would slip up one day and bring it up one day.

Athena nor Poseidon spoke, and Percy couldn't speak. So, it wasn't a question of _would_.

I simply nodded, and Sarah didn't move.

"Who's Aphrodite?"

I looked at Athena, my eyes begging her for her wisdom. I knew she wouldn't dare do anything bad in front of Sarah. Not even as an accident. Steven wasn't even two months old, and Athena was sure to be extra careful about her godly-_ness_ around him.

Athena's eyes told me that she would comply to my wishes, but we _would _have this conversation later.

I stole a glance at Poseidon for a moment before turning my attention back to Sarah. Now, I knew at that moment that, even if he didn't want to, he had completely forgiven me. I could have pulled a 'Luke' and he still would have forgiven me just by looking at his little granddaughter. I was sure he had some before but not in many years. And he definitely hadn't had a granddaughter who was Athena's granddaughter, too. Plus, Percy had always been his favorite child, even though I had no clue why. A child of his child must be a Poseidon dream come true.

"Sarah," Athena's voice was calm and powerful, which was the same tone she used on me my entire life, "we need to talk."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_**Annabeth:**_

_I stared down at my stomach with complete surprise. _

_It _kicked_._

_The baby kicked._

_It was the first time I had felt a kick. I had known about the baby for three months, but it was different now. It was there. There was a freakin' person in me!_

_I felt at my stomach, and the baby kicked again. I almost cried as I realized that I didn't really know anyone I could share this with. My best friend, Marie, was in back Russia for a week because her father got sick, and I couldn't call her. I hadn't spoken to Rachel since the break-up with Percy. I couldn't tell my mother, and my dad was busy all week. And I couldn't even tell the baby's father._

_I began to feel sorry for myself. _

_My life was completely ruined because of one mistake. I had a life planned out. I was going to finish school, get my dream job, and marry Percy someday. But I screwed that one up with this stupid mistake. I was irresponsible, and I was going to have to pay for it._

_I began to feel sorry for Percy._

_His life was pretty screwed up, too. We did this together. The baby was both of ours, and he probably wasn't going to meet it. He wouldn't know that today was the day I felt the first kick. He wouldn't even have a say in the child's name, not that I could think of one yet. That life we planned wasn't going to happen._

_I felt sorry for our family and all of that when I finally reached the one person who deserved pity._

_The baby._

_It did nothing wrong. Its parents did. And it would pay for it. When I was a kid, I didn't do anything, and my dad treated me like it was all my fault. I had sworn for years that I wouldn't ever do that to my kids, but it seems like I lied. This poor little child was going to grow up with either not knowing their biological parents or having total losers for parents, well maybe not Percy but me. Its life would be better with some rich family who was unable to have their own children and would love it more than anything, which wasn't necessarily me._

_As I thought about the baby, I shook my head._

_I couldn't keep calling the baby 'it', not that I had brought the baby up a lot. But I needed to know what name to say when I complain "_, you better be worth all this hell I'm going through for you' and that _is_ something I say a lot._

_I tried to think of a name, but I didn't know if it was a boy or girl. So, if I called the baby Lisa and it was a boy, I was screwed. I was about to settle on Bailey when I remembered my Grandmother._

_My dad eventually came to love me, but it wasn't too great at the beginning. He could kiss the top of my head and say he loved me, but I knew he wished I hadn't been born. My family was the same, but then my grandmother would come. I stayed with her a lot, and she and I would look out the window to the pretty cul-de-sac that my dad grew up in. I wanted more than anything to live like those people did. Their mom's would hand them their lunch boxes and kiss them goodbye for school. The dad's would come home from work and would smile a real smile. I wanted to be one of those kids, and I'd watch as they lived their lives, yearning that it was my life. My grandmother would see me and sit beside me. Sometimes she would hug me and sometimes we wouldn't say anything. But she made me feel like I was wanted. I was loved. I wasn't just some screw-up. I could tell her anything, and she would listen to every word, which my father _never_ did._

"_Sarah," I tried to smile at my stomach, but I felt tears coming on, "You're going to find someone who was just like the woman you're named after. She'll make those dejected feelings go away…"_

I woke up, panting and about to cry.

But I knew it wasn't a dream. It was just my screwed-up past. I pulled myself up to where I was sitting up in bed, trying to not to think about.

Seven AM on a Monday morning.

Damn it.

I jumped out of bed, ignoring how it was so cold. I had spent years being able to get ready in a record ten minutes, not that I had used my tricks in months as I now had a reason to get up early. I was tightening my belt when the comforter shifted.

Damn it.

I had forgotten Percy was here. It was my week with Sarah, and he came over last night to help her with science (she's studying the ocean). It was almost midnight when Sarah finally gave up and went to bed. Now that I really think about it, I remember Percy saying he was sleeping over, but I was so tired that I couldn't really think and fell asleep almost immediately (I know. Tired at midnight? What the hell?)

I fixed my belt and reached down for a high heel.

_Ares, please don't make me regret this._

I threw it at Percy with almost all of the strength I could manage in the morning, and it didn't hit him enough to hurt him, not that he would probably notice if it did. Sure, the Achilles heel was gone, but he was still tough as nails to my dismay.

"Did you just throw a _shoe_ at me?"

"Get up."

"Good morning to you, too," Percy smirked.

I rolled my eyes as I reached for another pair of heels. I struggled to get into the shoe while standing up, but I managed to do it without tripping somehow. Being a guy, Percy was already dressed by the time I had my ponytail up.

"How the hell did you get ready so fast?" I complained as I crossed my arms over my white blouse. He had always been able to do that, even when we were kids. I remember I use to wake him up in his cabin and go down to my cabin to grab my lucky lighter (I don't even know why I always kept one on me since I didn't smoke or anything, but I still kept one on me). By the time I got back, he was completely dressed and tying his shoes.

"I'm not. I have to head home and get ready there," Percy didn't even look up as he spoke to me. Instead, he just strapped on his watch and checked with my alarm clock to see if the time was right, which it probably was.

"Right," I nodded, trying to get my head together.

"Want me to wake up Sarah?" he asked as he stood up, and I was quick to shake my head.

My mind became a little jumbled, just as it sometimes did when I was with Percy, and I tried to force my thoughts on the little time I had. But I couldn't. My mind was only on one thing, and he was standing directly in front of me.

"I got it. You better get going if you want to make it to work on time," I smiled weakly, feeling selfish that I really didn't want him to go.

"Mind if I pick up Sarah from Swim Class today? I'll come bring her home and maybe hang out for a while," Percy began to search the room for his jacket. It was that moment that my brain began to function again, and I remembered that I needed to find my purse.

Oh, and wake up my daughter.

Damn it.

How do I _keep _forgetting this?

"Oh sure," I pulled out my purse from the closet (why the hell was it in there?) and opened the bedroom door.

"I think I have a fever," Sarah pouted at the front door. I ignored the fact that she was already over here, and I knelt to be at her level. I pressed a hand to her small forehead, thinking about how my dad used to do this when I was a kid.

I was lucky to get into the 'Mom' thing fast enough to keep up with Sarah, but I still worried that I didn't have it all down and that it wouldn't be long until I screwed up big time. And I'm not talking 'Dating-Her-Swim-Coach-Who-Cheated-On-Me-And-Enraged-Me-To-Such-an-Extent-That-I-Had-To-Move-Her-To-the-Next-Grade-Level'. I'm talking 'Someone's-In-the-Hospital' bad.

Sarah's forehead was actually cold.

"Actually, you're freezing, Baby," I tried my hardest not to smirk, "Which means, you're going to school."

_**Percy:**_

I forced the key into the lock without taking notice of anything. I knew I was going to be late. It went without saying, but I could be_ less _late. The morning went as it had for the last few weeks. When Sarah was at my place, Annabeth stayed over, and it was the same the other way. I planned on bringing up the option of just moving in together last night, but she felt asleep immediately. So, I was stuck bringing it up after I take Sarah home after school.

I would have been back at my apartment _way_ earlier, but I just got caught up in the family thing. Sarah tried to fake being sick, which Annabeth saw through immediately. Honestly, I probably would have just let her stay home, but she's a daddy's girl. All she has to do is look at me with those big grey eyes, the same that Annabeth has, and I'm a total push over. But I didn't get a say. So, Sarah got ready. Annabeth tried to make toast, and I pulled it out because she was about to burn it. Finally, I was about to leave when Sarah got downstairs, and I just couldn't force myself to leave after that.

Time wouldn't allow me to get a shower, but I would have enough time to change and shave without missing my first meeting. I had hoped for time to prepare in my office for a little bit, but I could still handle it. I set the keys down on the table and threw off my coat. I was untying my tie as I went into my room.

"Percy."

I stopped at the doorway and felt my heart stop. My muscles paralyzed until I almost threw up onto the hardwood floors.

I knew that voice.

I knew it well.

I listened to that voice say 'I do' on our wedding day...

_Calli._

Unwillingly, I wheeled around to where the voice came from.

Calli stood in the middle of the living room, holding up her keys. I remembered the day I gave her the lime green key chain because she kept losing her keys. Calli had gained a little weight, but it was only to be expected after having a baby. Her dark brown hair had been chopped off from the long way she usually kept it to where it went to her collar bone. Calli's brown eyes didn't remind me of a happy little girl in a chocolate factory like they usually did, but she reminded me of one of those women you hate instantly.

"You never changed the locks," Calli smiled slyly, and I clenched my fist so I wouldn't hit her, "So, Percy, where were you?"

She smiled like she was my friend, which she definitely wasn't. I knew I was supposed act like I wasn't seeing anyone or anything, but I really wanted to give her as much hell as she gave me, even though that was impossible.

"Slept over with my girlfriend."

Calli hid her surprise, if she had any.

"You have a girlfriend?"

"What are you doing here?" I crossed my arms, and Calli sighed.

"I miss you, Percy-Bear," Calli stared at me with the same look that used to make me a total push-over when she did it. 'Percy-Bear' had always made me mad, and it took away any feelings of love for Calli I might have still had.

"Should've thought about before you got pregnant with the Westchester guy you had been screwing behind my back."

"People make their mistakes. You got your college girlfriend pregnant. You have no right to get mad at me," Calli's eyes became so cruel that I wanted to throw up.

"I have _no right_ to get mad at the woman who was supposed to love me for the rest of my life but ended up getting impregnated by some pompous ass in Westchester?"

"He's not a _pompous ass_," Calli was quick defended. I didn't know his name or anything. I had never wanted to know, but I suddenly wanted to know now.

"Then where is he. Skipped out on you for the next young woman ready to sleep with him?"

Calli looked up with either pain or anger, or she might have had both.

"He's_ dead_," her jaw tightened, and I began to feel bad. Not for Calli, of course, but for that little girl who I thought was mine for all those months, Amanda. I didn't know what to say so I went back on something I should have said either.

"And, by the way, Sarah wasn't a mistake. She's the best thing I've ever done."

Calli quickly forgot her ex and father of her child to think of what I said. She didn't say anything, but her eyes were imploring me to tell her what had happened since she had left. It would be a long story, and I didn't want to have to get personal with her again. And this was nothing _but _personal.

"Sarah's adopted parents left in their will that her birthparents be tracked down," I was about to continue when Calli cut me off.

"_Annabeth?"_

I had tried never to bring up Annabeth in our relationship, but Annabeth had been a giant part of my life. I had to bring her up eventually, and I knew it would be best if she heard from me, not my family. So, I sat Calli down and told her everything. I told her how I met Annabeth, how we had been best friends, how we dated for six years, and I told her about why we ended. It was clear that I would never forgive Annabeth at that point, and Calli understood that.

I never would have imagined this all would happen back then.

The thought of me coming home late because I was staying with Annabeth, seeing my ex-wife Calli, and planning on picking up Sarah from school that afternoon would have been like a crazy dream.

"Yeah," I left out the part of how I was back with Annabeth. I still didn't want to bring up personal matters with her.

Calli began to breathe heavily from shock.

"Listen, the divorce papers are signed, and this is in my name. So, get out, Calli."

Calli looked up at me in surprise. I had never told her to leave like that. I had never really asked her to leave _period_. Calli being around me was like a necessity back then. Now, I needed her out before I had a heart attack from too much stress.

"Fine, but I'll be back," her voice was beyond serious, but I didn't give a damn. She could come back a million times and it wouldn't matter. I didn't love her anymore, even if she thought I did.

"Get out before I file a restraining order," I forced myself not to smirk, and Calli narrowed her eyes before picking up her purse that she had set down beside her. Calli stomped away in the same way she always had, and I began to realize just how annoying it actually was.

I followed her as she left and closed the door after her, sure to pull the bolt down and relocked the doors. I took a pen and sticky note from the table where I put the keys. I scribbled down in blue ink to call someone to change the locks.

_**This was kind of an introduction of Ex-Wife Drama. There will be more. **_**Much**_** more ;)**_

_**Annabeth:**_

I pulled out the key to Percy's apartment that I got when mutual custody was established. We were still in the adoption process as Renee was being a total bitch about it, and Sarah would be ours by Christmas we're told, which will be great since I'm supposed to be taking her to California for Christmas to meet my family.

The door was a little hard to push open, but I managed it somehow.

"Hello?" I called out, remembering that there were times where Percy would take Sarah out for ice cream, and they would stay there for hours. I first looked at the little table at the door.

Percy's keys were there, which meant he was also here. Beside it, a blue pad had the words "Get locks changed" that had been scribbled in Percy's terrible handwriting. I knit my eyebrows in confusion, wondering why he would want to change the locks.

"Hey, Mom. We're in the kitchen!" Sarah called out, and I heard the sound of Percy's shoes against the hardwood floors coming to the door. I picked up the blue sticky note to look at it a little bit closer.

"You're early," Percy smiled, and I held up the note as if it was a question.

"You're changing the locks?"

Percy's face froze, and I knew anything he said after that was going to be a lie. I knew him well enough to know that. I also knew that he probably had a good reason. Like how he didn't tell me that the weird can in his closet was bugs spray because he kept getting spiders a month ago.

"Yeah, I just feel like I should. Don't worry about it," Percy shrugged like it was nothing, and I tried to believe it. But I knew him too well.

"Right," I warily looked at him and back at the note.

"Hey," I tried to seem upbeat, and I set my bag down by the table, "Did you make it to work?"

Percy snapped out of his thoughts and looked at me, making my heart stop. Percy's dark green eyes were as beautiful as ever, and I loved how he was a good four inches or so taller than me. He had taken off his business suit jacket, and his top collar button was unbuttoned. The sleeves had been pushed up to his elbow, and I swear that there was icing on his wrist instead of the usual blue ink of a pen.

"Oh, I made it in time for my meeting, but I was supposed to be there earlier for work," Percy smiled brightly, happy to think I was done with this subject, not that I was or anything. Oh no way in Hades was I done. But I'd bring it up slowly. He wouldn't even realize it until I had already gotten my answer.

"Too bad," I set the sticky note down on the little table.

"It's time to put the new cookies in the oven!" Sarah called out again.

"You're baking?"

"She wanted to bake," Percy shrugged.

_**XXXXXX**_

I watched as Sarah worked on her Math homework.

We were still at Percy's. My stomach was full of sugar cookies that we spent an hour icing, and I was buzzed from all the carbs I had eaten, making me dread the imminent crash. Percy had sat down beside me on the couch from helping Sarah with her homework about five minutes ago.

It was seven, and I knew I needed to get Sarah home soon.

We ordered pizza, beef deep dish which was Sarah's favorite. Finally, Sarah 'suddenly' remembered that she had Math Homework, and Percy helped it with it for a little bit since I was banned from doing it. Apparently, without knowing it, I basically told her the answer. Percy told me that if he was around to help instead of me, he was helping until time saw fit against it, and that just pisses me off.

But I sat on the couch for that time, watching him help our six year old daughter with fractions. It was a little amusing, and it was most definitely worth an 'Aww' from how sweet it was. Of course, Percy finally came back to the couch, and Sarah stayed on the floor with "Fanboy and Chum Chum"  
>playing in the background.<p>

"So, Annabeth," Percy began, snapping my out of my 'Sarah-Related' thoughts.

_I smiled as I let the taste of vodka run over my tongue like the lake water lapping against the shore at camp. I watched out of the corner of my eye as the moon shone over the lake like a beacon of hope for those downtrodden, not that I was one of those. In fact, I couldn't remember the same peacefulness in months. It was Grover's birthday, something we were sure to celebrate each year. It just so happened that Juniper had a cold that day and was confined to the infirmary. Being the sweetheart Grover is, he spent the day with her, but we had him for the night. _

_But he didn't want to sneak out of camp to go to a club. None of us did. So, we grabbed a few bottles of random drinks and went to the beach. No one was around. So, we could just drink until we wanted to pass out. _

_I handed the bottle of Svedka to Percy, who had his back against the water, and Grover drank a can of beer. Percy, who didn't really like beer that much, drank out of the Svedka without hesitation. I couldn't think of a time I had been so attracted to him as when I saw him drink the bottle in the perfect moonlight. I was biting my lip when Percy spoke._

"_A toast to Grover, the best friend we could ask for," Percy raised up his bottle, and I took a bottle of Tequila from the sand to toast with the two boys. We all drank from our bottles, even though we all knew we should really slow down. We didn't give a damn though. We deserved it. _

_After all of those god awful years we put up for those damn gods, we might as well get a nice night of drinking by a beach. _

"_So, Annabeth," Grover started with a mischievous smile, "Found this is in Percy's cabin. Maybe I should take it to Chiron? Don't you think he'd just love this?"_

_Grover set my birth control box onto the sand with a smirk, and I snapped it up immediately._

"_If you value life _at all,_ I would suggest shutting up," I glared at him, and fear registered in his brown eyes._

"_Could be worse," Percy shrugged, taking another gulp of Svedka. _

_I raised my eyebrow for him to continue. _

"_Chiron could have been the one to find it."_

"I was thinking about how mornings are such a hassle now because I keep sleeping over at your place," Percy's voice snapped me out of my memories.

"I really am sorry about you being late this morning."

"It's nothing, Annabeth, but things are tricky for you, too. If Sarah's with me for the week, you're over here, and vise versa. I was thinking that we should…" Percy stopped, trying to find the words, but I knew exactly what I was going to say.

"It hasn't been long. I don't want to screw things up, Percy," I interjected, but Percy wasn't fazed, probably knowing I would say that.

"Annabeth, we pick our stuff up every week and go to the other's apartment. We're basically living together now. This would just made it official," Percy tried, and I sighed, knowing I was going to give in.

He was right.

Oh my gods, did I just say_ Percy_ was right?

I looked into his eyes, trying to think of an excuse not to, but I couldn't think of something. This would be best for Sarah, which was our top priority, and it would be best for us, too. But I had never lived with Percy.

I dated him.

I almost died with him.

I saved his life.

I fell in love with him.

I had a child with him.

I broke up with him.

I got back with him.

I planned on adopting our daughter with him.

But living with him was new territory, which I didn't like. There are some things you can risk, like wearing something new or trying a new style of fighting. But taking a risk with my relationship with Percy, and Sarah's happiness, was like do or die. The cost was too high on both sides.

"Sarah would have to be okay with it."

Yeah, I caved.

It happens to the best of us, I guess. Percy may be a Seaweed Brain, but he had the facts right. We basically were living together, and this must be hard for our daughter. There wasn't much of a reason not to other than my lack of courage in the matter, and I wasn't going to bring that up.

"You and I both know she'll love it."

"Well then," I faux-smiled, "I guess we're moving in together."

Percy kissed me, and I started to think I made the right move. I could handle it, right? I loved him and all, but we've always had the freedom to leave when we wanted to, not that we really ever did it. We wouldn't with this arrangement, and I couldn't handle losing Percy again.

I was about to whisper "I love you" when I heard the voice of a six year old little girl.

"Daddy, I need help with number fifteen."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

_**Annabeth:**_

I scribbled down the name my real estate agent gave me and listened to the description.

It had been Percy's ex-wife's idea to buy the apartment when they got married. When they got divorced, she started renting a place in Westchester because her job was taking her there a lot during that time. So, the place went to him after the divorce, and he wanted out of it.

He put it on the market about two weeks ago, but he definitely didn't know how to handle it, making all of the calls go to me.

"Her name is _Markalli Potter_?"

"A family name. She's a single mom with an infant. Great references. Newly divorced. Good job, a reporter actually. Amazing credit, too. She's perfect," my real estate agent, Robin Miller, most definitely smiled that saleswoman-smile at her office. I didn't even have to see it to know that she was. That was just Robin for you.

She wasn't just a real estate agent to me. We met in high school, when she was head over heels for Percy for about four months our senior year, and, while we weren't _friends_, we were _friendly_. Of course, I hated her back then, but I was fine with her now, when she wasn't spending hours talking about Gucci, her favorite thing in the world. She had always been bubbly, even out of the office. I don't think she's been single since she was a little kid with how beautiful she is. Everyone loved her, even me sadly. There was nothing to hate, though many people searched for there to be. Well, she was actually really critical, but that was her line of work.

So, I figured if Robin said someone was perfect, they were angels.

"And she wants to rent?"

"That's what she told me. Her job takes her around a lot, and, while she thinks she'll be here, she can't be _absolutely sure_," Robin answered, and I scribbled that down in my notebook, too.

"Do you think Percy would take this offer?" Robin asked even though she knew I was actually going to be the one picking who went into the apartment.

"What's her offer?"

"I'll get with her for that."

"Alright, call me back tomorrow for it then, and I'll see if he'll take it," I looked back over at the computer screen. Malcolm took the day off to spend a day with his son, Kevin, because his wife had a cold. Last night, I babysat the little angel and learned that he turned into a devil spawn when the sun set.

Just like his dad did when he was a kid.

"Annabeth, also, she wants to meet you both before the deal goes through," Robin asked me as is I sent a message to my secretary that I needed to push up the meeting with the California business deal.

"She does? Why?"

"It's just one of those weird things renters do. Anyway, I'll call you in the morning," Robin answered as if just the thought bored her.

"Bye, Robin," I hung up the droid and looked back at the pad.

_Markalli Potter._

I had never heard a name like that, and I'm related to a bunch of kid's whose dads were professors of some weird thing and were left to name them. (_Chyna and Medea and Jerusalem_?) I couldn't imagine someone naming their kid that, or anyone not changing their name from that. There was something about it-other than complete ridiculousness.

I was trying to make the connection when my phone rang.

A picture of Sarah at my sister's wedding was displayed on the screen, and I instantly picked it up.

"Can I go home with Carly today?"

It was her dad's week, which is why I was so caught off guard.

"Well, did you ask your dad? He's the one who's supposed to pick you up today?"

"Yeah, he said it was fine, but Carly's mom wanted me to make sure. So, can I go please?" Sarah asked, and I hesitated as Carly's mom and I were currently in the middle of a spat. Just as I thought she would, she freaked out when I told her about Percy and me getting back together, and it wasn't in a good way. She basically told me I was a slut, and she had the nerve to bring up how young I was when Sarah was born. I hadn't spoken to her in about two weeks now, which is huge if you know how many times a day she used to call.

"Uh… sure," I faked a smile, even though I knew she couldn't see me. The muffled sound of Sarah moving her lips away from the receiver and towards someone else came back.

"Carly's mom said she'd drop me off at Dad's tonight," Sarah answered giddily, which made me smile for real this time.

"Love you, Cutie," my eyes drifted down to me at my college graduation photo, and I almost cried, thinking about that dumbass mistake I made that year.

"Love you, too, Mom," Sarah responded, and my heart broke all over again.

_**XXXXXXXX**_

"We definitely need these," Percy debated, motioning towards a set of golf clubs.

"We already voted yes for two others. Why do we need a third set?"

"Why _wouldn't_ we?"

"I'm giving you five minutes to think of a better argument while I get a soda," I got up from the sofa, and Percy pouted, looking back down at the third set of golf clubs. I went straight to the kitchen, and I was a little surprised when I saw the only soda he kept here was a Japanese version of coke that happens to be blue. Shaking my head, I grabbed it and popped the top.

As I took the first sip and closed the refrigerator, someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get it," I set the drink down and went to the door, expecting it to be Sarah, but it definitely wasn't.

A petite woman with medium-length brown hair stood at the door, looking completely not-nervous. Her brown eyes reminded me of chocolate, and she seemed to be about 5'4. Her hair was straighter than I could have ever managed, and I felt something familiar about it.

"I'm Markalli Potter," she held out her thin hand.

"Oh," I smiled, looking like this was completely normal even though it was the farthest thing from that, "I'm Annabeth Chase. You're the renter, right?"

"You're _Annabeth_?"

"Yeah, do I know you from somewhere? You look really familiar, but I don't think I've ever met a Markalli," I asked.

"No, I've just heard about you. Actually, I go by Calli."

It hit me like a freight train who she was.

She looked a little different than she had in the wedding picture, but it was her. I hadn't realized how short she was either. But this was Percy's ex-wife. They just got an amazing photographer for the wedding.

I wasn't able to say anything, and Percy, probably getting worried, came behind me.

"Who is- ah!" Percy jumped back when he saw her.

"Is this the reason you wanted to change the locks?" I asked Percy, but Calli was the first to speak.

"So, you're the woman who put his kid up for adoption?"

"And you got knocked up with some guy from Westchester and told Percy he was the dad?"

"He told you."

"And he told you."

"I married him."

"And then you broke into his house."

"It was _my _house."

"_Was."_

"Calli," Percy interrupted the two of us, "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't Annabeth tell you? I'm renting the place," Calli smiled. Percy stared at me as if to say 'What the hell?'

"I didn't know who she was," I defended, "And the deal _hasn't_ gone through."

"That's why I needed to talk to you, Percy. I didn't know _you_ would be here," Calli's brown eyes narrowed as they looked at me.

"What do we need to talk about then?" Percy interjected before I could respond, which was a good idea I guess.

"Can we just come out in the hall, please?" Calli asked, glaring at me.

"Annabeth, how about you call Sarah? She should be here by now," Percy tried, and I looked between the two of them, not wanting to leave.

"Fine," I sighed as I went back into the door.

_**Percy:**_

I watched as Annabeth went back into the apartment, probably about to throw my golf clubs out the window. Then I looked at Calli. She was the same as the last time I had seen her except for wearing a different outfit. I came out of my apartment and closed the door behind me.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Why?"

"God, why do you stay with _that_? She's _so…so_…"

"_Right?"_

Calli stared at me with anger and crossed her arms.

"Listen, we're divorced. We don't have any kids, and there is no reason for us to ever have contact. _Ever_. So, why the hell do you _keep _coming around?" I asked, exasperated at that very fact.

I had spoken to a lot of divorced people when it went through.

Those with kids accepted their divorce and raised the kids.

Those without kids either became good friends or arch enemies.

After her getting impregnated with the man she was having an affair with, I was hoping for the arch enemies.

"Listen, this isn't about that," Calli looked down at the floor.

"What then?" I crossed my arms, remembering how I would have just tried to make her smile when she did that a few years ago.

"My job is bringing me back to the city, and I picked out this place. I painted the walls. I bought the furniture, and I wanted to raise our child here…" Calli paused before continuing, "And, even though_ that_ never happened, I still want to raise my child here. You're going to give it to someone anyway. Why not me?"

I stared at her like the answer was obvious.

"Because, you're my _ex wife_. You gave up this place, and you broke into it a few weeks ago!" I hissed.

"I did not _break in_!" Calli realized she was yelling and forced it to a whisper yell, "I had a _key_."

"Yeah, because I forgot to _change the locks_."

"Okay, okay, let's just get back to why I came here," Calli looked at me with her reasoning eyes, but I still stared at her with anger.

"This is really is my only option right now, and think of Amanda."

I almost wanted to hit her when she brought up her daughter. That was just playing dirty.

"I know you love her. I mean, she was yours for a while."

Three months.

"This is where she needs to be, and you know that. Please?"

_**XXXXX**_

"_What?_"

"Annabeth," I started.

"No way in hell," Annabeth cut me off.

"It's not like we'll see her a lot anyway. She'll just be renting the place," I tried again.

"You're kidding, right?" Annabeth crossed her arms and stared at me again.

"I mean, why shouldn't we?"

Annabeth looked at me as if assessing if I had completely lost my mind, which I was starting to think I had. I saw her point as it was the point I was trying to make about an hour ago. I still hated Calli for what she did, and I probably always would. But what was the point to keep it going? Hating her wasn't going to get her anywhere, and it sure as hell wouldn't do me any good.

"Why _should_ we?" Annabeth asked, exasperated.

"Listen, I know how this looks and all," I took her hand, "But we won't see her often, and this is really the right thing to do."

Annabeth stared into my eyes, not sure if she should cave or not.

"Percy, she broke into your apartment."

"I know. I know, but this was the place that she wanted to raise her kid. And we're not going to be here anyway. What's the real problem with this?"

"Uh, I..." Annabeth started but trailed off, "Fine."

I kissed her, and she still seemed a little 'iffy' on her decision. But I didn't care.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_**Annabeth:**_

I double-checked Sarah's suitcase, making sure she had everything for our trip to California to see my family.

My dad had been waiting to meet Sarah for months, and Thanksgiving seemed like the perfect time. Plus, I definitely needed to be out of the state while Percy worked out the arrangements with Cali, who I still hate no matter how much Percy has forgiven her. Our plan had been that Percy would come with us to California, but his mother became sick. And Percy always had a soft spot for his mom.

So, we didn't book him a ticket and told my father of the sudden change. I suppose it would be better this way anyway. My two brothers had always been protective of me, and they had learned to hate Percy after hearing I was pregnant with his child. I'm sure they'll get over it, as they usually do, but they haven't yet.

"Why can't you come, Daddy?" Sarah pouted as Percy continued to search her room for her favorite doll, a kangaroo she named 'Roo'.

"I have to take care of Grandma. But I promise that I'll be with you at the next holiday," Percy barely looked away from the closet, trying to figure how she had lost something that she barely ever parted with.

Sarah responded by thrusting out her bottom lip and huffing as she plopped down on her bed.

"We better get going. Our flight leaves pretty soon," I zipped up Sarah's suitcase and smiled warmly, ignoring how she was still pouting, "Why don't you go look for Roo?"

Sarah looked up at me, weighing her options. She could continue to pout and go without her favorite doll for five days, or she could look for the doll and pass up a great opportunity to guilt her father. After a few moments, she got up and left the room to search for the doll some more.

"Did you leave your dagger?" Percy asked as he stood up from the closet, giving up.

"Yes, Percy."

"Both of them?"

I quickly felt through my purse and found a pointy object. I pulled it out to see a Christmas present from Malcolm three years ago, a dagger. I glared at Percy and handed it to him. He smiled and took it gingerly, happy to know he was right.

"Not one word, Perseus. Not _one word," _I warned, even though my eyes were already sending the same message.

"How 'bout two?" Percy smirked, "_Ha, Ha_."

I playfully hit him, and I began to really want my dagger back, as I usually had weapon withdraw. As soon as I went on the road with Luke and Thalia, I didn't want to be without a weapon, even if it wasn't really that helpful. When I got nervous, I used to dig my dagger into tables or the ground. Later, I would light my lighter without even thinking about it. When it reached the point where I was around humans more and more, I stopped with all that, but I still liked being armed.

"Or, _shut up_," I picked back up my suitcase, and Percy wheeled Sarah's. I came down the stairs, and Percy followed me.

"What are you really going to be doing for the next few days?" I pouted, realizing suddenly where Sarah got it from.

"I need to be with my mom. Then there's…_Calli_."

I cringed.

"And, you know, I also need to get to work on the adoption process. You know, Renee is still hell-bent."

I cringed again.

"The two women I hate most, aside from…" I trailed off and stared at the sky.

"You don't have to finish it, Annabeth," Percy smirked and I began to run down the stairs of the condo, towards Sarah.

"Have you found it yet, Sarah?" I smiled, trying not to look so sad. For one, I hated Calli and Renee, who I would have to deal with pretty soon and Percy kept bringing it up. Then, there was the fact that Percy wasn't coming with me for Thanksgiving.

As if to answer, Sarah was hugging a stuffed animal that she hadn't let me wash in two weeks. I didn't understand how she had lost it though. Sarah loved the doll like it was her real pet kangaroo. Sometimes I even wondered if it came to life every time we weren't in the room because she loved it so much. She didn't sleep without it, and it was a miracle she didn't take it to school. So how the hell did she lose it?

"Alright then. We better get going, huh?" I smiled weakly at Sarah, and she immediately looked up at Percy, as if a last plead for him to accompany us.

_**XXXXXX**_

Our flight left at three or so, right after Sarah had lunch. Our flight seemed like torture, but it was finally over. I called my dad to tell him I was on my way to his townhouse. The drive home usually took about thirty minute if by cab and twenty if I was driving. But, of course, I wasn't driving.

I didn't like coming in right now. It was cold and rainy and dark. In a nice summer's day, I could remember the happy times here. I remembered running away. I remembered awkwardness when I came home. I remembered cold and rainy days as I walked home from the bus stop after being repeatedly called 'Egg Head' by bullies at school. Romans (need I say more).

When it was bright, I thought of other things. Walking by the bay with my friends. Taking the ferry to Alcatraz with Percy when he would suddenly show up at the shore. Reading a bedtime story to my little brothers and them _not_ being total buttheads (And, yes, while third grade, it fit them perfectly). Spending part of my summer taking some classes at my dad's college. Driving down to the beach with my best friends, my _Californian_ best friends, and relaxing after a stressful summer.

Sarah had Roo tucked into her backpack, and she finished the last of her gummy worms that we had bought while our luggage was a little late. She had just gotten off the phone with Percy, who was settling in with a black and white movie while checking some things for work. Calli hadn't given him any trouble, or, if she had, Percy hadn't told me.

The cab lurched to a stop, and I paid the man. Sarah and I scurried out and towards our bags. When I had both of the small suitcases by my side, Sarah and I went to knock on the door. As we waited there and listened to the cab speed away, I felt sick. I wanted to run, run as fast as I could to get away from here.

But, before I could think about that, the door swung open with my father standing there.

_**XXXXXX**_

Sarah plopped down on my old bed beside me and slid into the covers.

I had expected Dad and Susan to get rid of all this and make my room a guest room, but they didn't. I still had the bunk bed with a twin on top and a queen on bottom. Grey walls with a poster of some Olympic swimmer that Percy had loved when we were teenagers. My black desk still had yearbooks and notebooks spread across it, along with a family picture of me at College graduation, which was probably the last time I had really spent a whole lot of time here. There were old clothes in my closet, some in plastic wrap covered with dust. I could still see the spot where I carved a small owl into my closet door in revolt towards my step mother.

I had come home many times, but it felt so weird to be in my room now. The last time I had been here, I had dislocated my past, as if it was just something I read about as a child. This time, it was my life. It was something I honed up to, something I was living again.

"Night, Mommy," Sarah yawned and turned over in the top bunk. I smiled up at her, unable to think of life without her now.

"Good night, Sarah. I love you."

"Love you," Sarah told me drowsily, "too, Mom."

I tried to think of Calli as a mom, but I couldn't really see it. Now, of course, I couldn't have pictured _me _as a mom a few months ago, but it was still hard to think of her like that, especially after seeing her break into Percy's apartment like that. But I was also dating her ex, who she was trying to get back with. I wasn't supposed to like her.

"Sweet dreams," I slid into the blankets and tried to go to sleep.

Sarah and my family had gotten along alright. Sure, we only spoke for a little bit before I realized that Sarah really needed to get to bed. I knew that the weekend would go fine, as long as my little brothers never brought up her father, but I could warn them of that later.

I kept trying to sleep, but I missed Percy. We hadn't been together too long, and he hadn't been living for me for too long either. But I had gotten used to him beside me, and I couldn't sleep without him.

By the time I gave up, I could hear Sarah snoring. I quietly creeped out of my bottom bunk, and I'm surprised that I managed that after my dad made sure it was squeaky back when I was a teenager. I went through the hallway and almost cried.

_I zipped up my hoodie a little farther and pulled the hood over my head. It was raining outside, something that seemed to be happening all the time recently. I slid my uniform-code Mary Janes into my backpack and put on the black and white rain boots I bought a week ago after it kept raining._

"_Annabeth, good luck on your test, Darling," Susan kissed the side of my head, and I bit my lip not to cringe. She took the twins by the hand and started to take them outside. She drove them to school every morning after Bobby kept getting in trouble on the bus. We went to different schools still, and I still went on the bus. I could have asked Susan to drive me to school every day, but I still didn't really like her enough for that. I preferred to see her only at dinner and breakfast._

_I nodded towards her and looked back towards my father. He was finishing off his cup of coffee and a local newspaper, barely even noticing I was there._

"_Need a cab, Annie?"_

_I cringed at 'Annie'._

"_Sure, I guess. I can still go to the bus though," I shrugged and finished my glass of orange juice._

"_I'll pick you up today after my lecture," Dad got up and handed me cash. He kissed the side of my head and folded up his newspaper._

"_Thanks," I smiled weakly and stood up from the table, sliding the money into my pocket._

I kept on walking past the master bedroom, the twins room, and my dad's study so fast as not to remember anything. I went down the stairs slowly as not to wake up my step-mother, who I swear has the ears of a dog. Without thinking about it, I went to the kitchen and flicked on the lights.

My father sat at the table in blue pajamas with a book about Greek Myths in front of him. He sipped at a cup of coffee or tea or something. His dim brown eyes looked up at me, and he smiled weakly.

"Hey, Annabeth. Want some coffee?" he held up a mug, "It's decaf."

"No thanks," I came to sit directly in front of him, like I did when I was a kid.

"You don't blame me, do you?"

"What?"

"About Sarah? I showed you how it could work out with a kid when you're young. And I helped you decide to put her up for adoption, you know," Dad asked, and I stared at him for a moment or two.

"No, I don't blame you. I want to, but you didn't sign the papers. _I_ did," I waited for a moment before asking the question that was really on my mind, "Dad, did you want to put….put _me_…up for adoption?"

He looked at me, and I saw he didn't need to answer the question. His eyes just did that for him.

Barely able to even breathe, I waited a minute before saying anything else.

"Why didn't you?"

He paused.

"Your mom."

He waited for another few moments before talking some more.

"I loved her so much, Annabeth. Like how you love Percy. You know you shouldn't, and it's not like how it is supposed to be. But you love them."

I nodded.

"Well, I was about to give custody to your grandmother, and you said your first word. You were so young, but you said 'DaDa'. And I realized that you were the best of your mother and me. I realized then that your mother was…_never coming back_."

"So you kept me," I nodded.

"I love you Annabeth. I just didn't think I could be a father at that point in my life."

And he _couldn't._

"I know," I thought back to Sarah. She wouldn't think of me like this, right? I didn't want to be a parent like my dad, one that you _learn_ to love. I had 'forgiven' him for the first few years, but it still hurt. Sarah wouldn't hold a grudge against me like I do with him? Right?

"If I could do it again, I wouldn't have given you up," my dad smiled like it was supposed to comfort me.

It _didn't._

There was no winning situation, but life would have been easier, and better, with my grandmother raising me. My dad could ease into a relationship with me once he had grown up, and I wouldn't have these emotional scars.

But I guess I owed him.

He brought me to Percy.

"If I could do it again, I would have listened to Percy."

"He wanted to raise Sarah, right?"

I nodded.

"If you tell him this, I will kill you, but he's a good boy."

I smiled and nodded.

"You two are back together, right?"

I paused and took this chance.

"We moved in together about two weeks ago, or so."

My dad looked at me for a moment before nodding like he knew it had been inevitable.

"I know where this is going," Dad shook his head and sipped at his coffee.

"What are you talking about?"

"I bet you that you'll be getting married this time next year."

"It's been like a _month_, Dad."

"No, you've been in love with each other for sixteen years, Annabeth."

"He just got divorced. He won't want to rush into a marriage."

"You also said that he would never forgive you, Annabeth," Dad smiled.

"I'm going to go back to bed. I'll see you in the morning," I stood up, and he smiled goodnight.

"Sarah's beautiful, you know," Dad smiled, but I saw some bit of sadness in his brown eyes, "She looks like you."

And I look like my mom.

"Thanks, Dad."

_**Percy:**_

"Is _she_ there?"

I knew Calli was scowling.

"Annabeth is with Sarah at her dad's for Thanksgiving. Now, we need to get this finished."

"I can't believe you're with _her_. I mean, she ruined your life."

"She gave me Sarah, which I love more than anything. Now, will you shut up?"

"And she _took_ her, you know. Doesn't it hurt that you are just now getting to know about your daughter?" Calli complained, and I hit my head on my desk.

"You think it didn't hurt that my wife had an affair and got pregnant with some old rich dude's kid?"

"He was only a few years older than us, Percy."

"I don't give a damn, Calli. You're still holding his kid."

"Her name is _Amanda_."

"And what was her father's name? Or maybe his wife's name?"

Finally, Calli shut up.

"You want to move in by December. The realtor has worked just about everything out. So, why are you calling me?"

Calli paused for another moment before responding.

"You aren't going to _marry her_, are you?" she spoke like she was scared of it.

"No, I'm not going to marry my realtor. Any other weird questions?"

"No, Annabeth. You aren't going to marry _Annabeth_, right?"

"I don't know, Calli. Why may I ask are you asking this?"

"That means yes."

"How does that mean yes?"

"Because, if this was just some girl you were dating, you would say no. But you said you didn't know. How can you marry her?" Calli screeched, and I began to wonder why the effin hell I married her in the first place.

"It's been a month, Calli," I shook my head, remembering that, at one point in my life, I had loved how stubborn she was.

"She's pretty, I guess. If you like blondes…"

"Well, I do."

"Typical."

"What?"

"It's typical for guys to like blondes. They always think that brunettes are harder to get."

"Let's see. You broke into my apartment, begged me to take you back, came to my apartment again, begged me again, and started renting my apartment. it's not like you were hard to get, Markalli."

"Don't call me that."

"Don't insult my girlfriend."

"What kind of a deal is that?"

"The one I'm making."

My computer pinged with an email, and I quickly pressed accept.

_Miss you so much, Perce. My brothers aren't as bad as I had expected, and everyone just loves Sarah. Probably more than the love me ;-) How's your mom? I can't wait to get home on Friday. –Annabeth_

I smiled to myself.

_Miss you guys so much. Mom's better. Calli's a pill, but she's getting better than before. Glad to know your brothers aren't still plotting on how to kill me over dinner ;-D Have fun with your family. Kiss Sarah for me. –Percy_

"Oh, that's my mom. I better go check on Amanda."

"Goodbye, Calli."

I hung up the phone, happy to finally be rid of her.

_Even worse than my brothers conspiring against you, my dad's been bringing up marriage every five seconds since I told him we moved in together. Oh, and call Calli a bitch for me ;-D –Annabeth_

I shook my head, still smiling and sent back a witty email and pressing send.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_**Annabeth:**_

I stared ahead at mother while she sipped at Jasmine tea across the bistro table.

It was her favorite, near the empire state building but still not crowded. The tea was exceptional, while the coffee sucked. It was quiet here, especially for New York. I used to meet her just about every day here while I was working on Olympus. It had been one of the first times I had ever seen her smile, or laugh.

Athena was dressed like I had expected her to. It was one of those days where she was popping in on one of the companies she basiCalli ran, and she dressed the part. Her usually blonde hair was auburn and tied up in a professional bun. Her always-grey eyes were polite but fixed on a plan. Though it was a cold fall, she was tanned like it was summer in the Hamptons. As usual, her beauty was exceptional and made me feel self-conscious.

"How's Sarah?"

This was the first time we had really spoken since the little incident where Sarah found out about who were grandparents really were. She and Poseidon explained it, and they did well. After a while, it came for her to go, and she pulled me aside, explaining that she still disapproved of Percy and she thought it would be best if I ended it with Percy now before it got to serious. I disagreed, and that was it.

"She's good. Still mad at her father about missing Thanksgiving," I instantly regretted saying that.

"He missed Thanksgiving?" Athena asked, but it didn't seem like a judgment surprisingly.

"Uh, yeah, his mother, Sally, got sick, and he had to miss coming to California with us. But it was probably better that way. Mattie and Bobby don't really get along with Percy," I sipped at the tea.

"Speaking of brothers, have you spoken to Malcolm recently?" Athena asked eagerly, and I suddenly felt sorry for her. I was the kid she saw most, and that was because she was trying to get me away from a man she deeply disapproved of.

"No, his wife is just getting back into work, and everything is so hectic that I'd be shocked if I saw him by Kevin's first birthday," I smiled weakly, wishing I could have had those hectic first years with Sarah.

"He's a good boy," Athena's eyes seemed to search mine for something, but I didn't know what she wanted.

Over the years, the Athena cabin had become smaller and smaller. Some said that after she had seen what I had done, she didn't want to take the chance of her child falling for a descendant of Poseidon. Some said rebuilding Olympus took too much time. But I had always thought that she realized how much she didn't know her kids and wanted to make it right, or at least she was trying to make our relationship right.

An awkward silence joined our table.

"Aphrodite's happy, you know."

I looked up at my mother, not sure if I had heard her right.

"She's in a good mood after you and Percy got together. Hephaestus even went as far as to thank Poseidon and me for having you two. Aphrodite hasn't been this happy since she started her affair with Ares."

I wanted to add that it couldn't have been hard to make her happier than spending time with Ares, but I bit my tongue.

"You seem pretty happy, too," Athena's smile was weak but definitely motherly.

She was right. I couldn't remember a time when I was happier. I had a beautiful young daughter who seemed to be smarter than me at times. And I had Percy, and, for the very first time in our relationship, there is no god trying to kill him, no evil exes trying to destroy the world, no wars to fight (at least not for us), and no kidnapping.

There is an evil ex though, but I changed the locks last week. So, I'm in the clear for a while.

"Tell me the truth Annabeth. How is he? I mean, is he good to you or Sarah?"

"He's great. I know you still see him as that idiot jumping off buildings and killing monsters, but he's grown up."

Okay, so it was a little bit of a lie. He didn't jump of buildings anymore, Thank God!, but I wouldn't go straight to _grown up_. He still loved Fanboy and Chum Chum, and he liked Perry the Platypus more than our child. And he could still most monsters, even if they were no danger at all.

But I wasn't going to tell _her_ that.

"That's good," Athena smiled a little wider this time and sipped at her tea, "I don't _like_ him in _any way_, but you can tell him I give him my approval."

I stared at her, not sure if I had heard her right.

"Your _approval_?"

"Well, I guess you could be with worse. He treats you and your daughter well, and you love him," Athena shrugged with defeat, "But-"

I hated when she said but.

"If he hurts your or Sarah in _any way_," Athena's eyes became dangerous, "his life span will be shorted _considerably."_

Athena stood, and I stood to say goodbye.

"Goodbye, Darling," she kissed both of my cheeks like she hadn't just threated my boyfriend's life only moments before. She picked up her briefcase and started to walk away, but she paused and turned around.

"Oh, and please don't have any more children out of wedlock. It's making me look bad."

I smiled and nodded, and she took that as an agreement and she left.

_**Percy:**_

"So, your mom is okay with us?" I smiled as I signed another thing for work and pushed it to the top of the desk.

"Well, _techniCalli_," I didn't like how Annabeth's voice sounded over the phone, but it was better than not talking to her at all.

"She said she's happy that I'm happy and that Sarah is happy. But she said she still didn't _like _you, and she still hopes that I leave you. She said I could be worse off though as you don't hurt me or Sarah. But, if you do, she has made it clear that she'd kill you."

Don't you just love Athena?

"I just love your mother, Annabeth," I sarcastiCalli grinned, and Annabeth laughed for a moment before gasping.

"Shouldn't you be singing the deal with Calli?"

"I'm leaving now. But how did that suddenly come to mind?" I asked while grabbing my keys and cell phone from a drawer. I smiled at the picture of Annabeth and me when we were fifteen that I had kept in my desk for the last four years.

"We were talking about bitchy mothers. What's not to get?" Annabeth asked, and I knew she was smiling ear-to-ear.

I had to agree that Calli was a bitch. I had married her, meaning I knew first hand. But I had somehow learned to forgive the cold-hearted slut, even if I did call her all of those names. Annabeth never would though, or at least I didn't think she would. It wasn't in her nature to forgive someone after all of that happened.

But, then again, she had forgiven me somehow.

"Nice one, Annabeth. Before I go, are you picking up Sarah or am I?" I got up from the chair, but I was still stuck there because of the phone.

"Neither. She's spending the weekend with Sally, remember?" Annabeth sounded distracted, probably working.

"So, it's just us this weekend?"

I could hear the voice of Annabeth's assistant, a voice I had to hear lots of time when I tried to call Annabeth but she was in a meeting. Annabeth moved the mouthpiece and replied something hurriedly before coming back to the phone.

"I also told you that Malcolm needs us to babysit Steven from today to Sunday."

"Why?" I asked as I tried to remember when this conversation where we talked about all of this happened.

"I don't remember, but I think it was something about a wedding. Or maybe they just needed time together? Or was it…?" Annabeth would have continued for hours if I didn't cut her off.

"Got it. Watching Steven for the weekend while Sarah's with Mom. I better get going," I quickly added, and Annabeth seemed to snap out of the trance.

"See you at home."

_**XXXXXX**_

It took me about ten minutes to get to my old apartment building. It felt weird to have Calli living here without me, but I was getting used to the idea. This _was _the place we bought with Amanda in mind, even if I was sure that little baby would be mine.

I knew the route to my apartment by heart, and I earned a wave from the concierge, who had been best friends with my ex-wife before Calli and I got divorced. The elevator ride to my floor was alone and quiet, and I took that time to find the paperwork from my briefcase and get out my keys.

I was surprised to find the front door unlocked, as Calli was kind of a freak about locking doors, but I came straight in anyway.

"Calli?"

I waited a moment or two before I got a response.

"In the kitchen!"

I followed the voice to the large kitchen that Calli had basiCalli decided to buy the apartment over. I found boxes everywhere, and Calli was organizing spices, being the perfectionist she was. I didn't like how she was wearing an old NYU sweatshirt of mine, but I didn't say anything about it. Actually, I couldn't speak.

_Amanda._

It was the first time I had ever seen the baby, and she was beautiful. She had bubbly blonde curls, and her light brown eyes watched her mother with interest. Other than those two features, she looked exactly like her mother. For a moment, I felt like I knew the child, or at least maybe I knew who the father was. But I couldn't get a name. Just the thought that I knew him somehow.

"Oh, I forgot," Calli turned around to look at me, "You've never met Amanda."

I stopped staring at the baby to look at Calli.

"Uh, we better sign the papers," I held up the paperwork and tries desperately not to look back at Amanda.

"Right," Calli reached for a pen from a clay coffee mug that I remembered her nephew, Robin, making for her birthday a few years ago.

I closed the distance between us and set the paperwork down infront of the two of us. I walked her through it all, saying how much the rent was, and pointing out a small clause I had specially asked for that claimed we would pick up the rent instead of her possibly breaking into our apartment again. She glared at me but signed the paper just like I did.

"Did you ask for that or did Annabeth?" Calli crossed her arms, still glaring at me.

"It was a mutual agreement," I lied. It had been Annabeth's idea to put that in there, as the thought that she could suddenly show up scared the hell out of her. She said it was about Sarah, but I knew it was really because she was scared.

"Sure it was, Percy," Calli complained as she capped the pen and put it in the mug.

I paused for a moment.

"How's Robin?" I finally asked, not taking my eyes off the mug.

Robin had been four when I married Calli. He was a cute little kid, with the same big brown eyes the Potter's were known for. He took an instant liking to me, and I liked him, too. He used to ask all the time when Calli and I were going to have a little boy that he could play with, and he was the reason I started really wanting kids.

Calli looked at me with sadness, thinking the same things I was thinking of.

"He misses you a lot. He asks a lot where you went and why we didn't have that little baby you said we'd have. My sisters a little mad about it actually. She says me screwing around didn't just affect my life but everyone else's."

"That's Dakota for you, always bringing the downside," I smiled weakly, but the truth was that I agreed with Dakota, just like I usually did.

"She's right, isn't she?" Calli asked like it pained her to ask, and I nodded yes. She shook her head, like she already had known the answer.

Calli paused again.

"Are you happier with her? Annabeth, I mean?" Calli asked, and I knew that I wasn't supposed to lie.

"I think so. Things are very different, but I'm happier."

"I guess I should give up, huh?" Calli put her head in her hands, which I knew meant she was about to cry. But I didn't know what to do this time, "I…I loved him, Percy. And we were always so busy, and we were trying for a baby. And he just smiled at me, and there were all these pretty girls and he chose me. He liked me. He thought I was brilliant, and he said he'd leave his wife as soon as their daughter was old enough to handle it. And I told him about Amanda and how she was his, and… he was going to tell his wife. He promised me that. We were going to move to my house in Westchester and raise Amanda…"

She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes.

"Be happy, Percy," she smiled weakly, her upper lip trembling, and I knew she wanted me to go.

"I'll talk to you on Monday when the deal goes through."

She nodded, and I left, taking one last glance at Amanda.

_**Annabeth:**_

I stared at Steven in front of me. Malcolm had dropped him off an hour ago, handing me the instructions to taking care of him and a key to his apartment if I needed to go over there and get something.

"Steven, now where do you think your Uncle Percy is?" I pouted as I continued to stare at the baby. He was a quiet baby, and he just kept playing with the blocks in front of him. I half-expected him to stand up and give me a speech about how I should stop worrying, but I mainly expected him to just keep playing with the toy, which he did.

I stood up from the floor, mainly for the sake of my fleeting sanity, and went back to my cell phone.

In the last two hours, I had received five messages. The first was Sarah calling to say that everything was fine at Sally's place. The second was Rachael complaining about how I had barely talked to her in the last few months. The third and fifth were both from Steven's mom, checking on him. And the fourth was Percy sending me a quick message about how he would be a little late.

I was on the verge of sending a text to Percy, asking how long _"a little late" _really was, when the front door opened.

"Sorry, work ran late," Percy barely even glanced at me. Instead, he went straight for three month old Steven. He picked up Steven and hugged him.

"Isn't he just adorable?" Percy smiled at Steven, and Steven giggled in response.

I knew Percy wanted a baby. It was as obvious as saying Aphrodite wanted make-up or a new Chanel dress. Percy always wanted a baby, even back when the idea of raising Sarah scared the hell out of me. And it seemed to get stronger and stronger as time went by, until the point where he notices every baby in sight.

I stared at Percy playing with the baby, not sure if I should 'Awww' or laugh.

Finally, before I could decide on if I should laugh or not, Percy set the baby down on the floor, and Steven went right back to playing with the toy in front of him. Percy smiled and came up to me.

"And isn't his Aunt looking particularly beautiful today," he kissed me, and I decided not to bring up how late he was for a more important question.

"How'd it go with Calli?" I straightened Percy's tie, and he paused.

"It happened," he shrugged and kissed the top of my head again before going back to the little baby Steven.

"_And_?" I followed after him and sat on the couch while he played with Steven.

"You know," he shrugged again and continued to stare at the baby, who was playing with a fire-truck toy.

I hated when Percy did this, avoiding all of those questions I kept asking. He always did though, and it annoyed every ounce of my body. When I was younger, I even asked Sally if he only did it to me, and she laughed while telling me he had been doing that since the day he first started talking.

"I know_ what_?"

Percy shook his head, smiling, and picked up the baby. He sat down beside me, and Steven giggled merrily at Percy. I continued to stare at him for an explanation.

"I saw Amanda for the first time today," Percy looked at me, and my gaze softened.

"Oh…are you okay, Percy?" I bit my lip, not sure exactly what to say but finally seeing why he kept playing with the baby.

"Yeah, I guess. Calli wasn't though. I asked her about her nephew, Robin, and she told me this whole thing about how he missed me and how her sister is mad at her for cheating on me and all. And, then she started crying and asking me if I was happy with you. And then she started trying to explain what happened. Like how she felt so special that Amanda's father chose her, and how they were going to work everything out with Amanda, and she trialed off when she was about to tell me how he died," Percy shook his head, and I stared at him, not sure how to compute all of this.

"Amanda's dad is dead?"

Percy nodded.

"A month before Amanda was born, or something."

"Holy Crap," I shook my head, _actually_ feeling sorry for Calli, which I thought would _never_ happen.

"Yeah, she then asked if I was happier with you, or something," Percy shrugged like it was nothing as he ruffled Steven's black hair, which he had inherited from his Italian mother.

I looked at him, wondering why the hell he just stopped with that. He didn't seem to notice how I was nervously staring at him, but that was just Percy. For a moment, I didn't want to ask if he was. I didn't want to hear him break it to me that he was happier with his syco-ex-wife.

"Are you?"

"Hmm?" Percy stared at me.

"Are you…_happier_?" I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"You're _kidding,_ right?" he raised a questioning eyebrow, and I raised both of my eyebrows for him to continue.

"Quick question. Who is stalking me and who is sitting on the couch beside me in our apartment?"

"No, I mean, before Amanda. Before she started cheating. Before all that. Were you happier then than you are now?" I uncrossed my arms and got closer to him, searching his sea green eyes for the real answer. He could tell me anything with his mouth, but his eyes never lied to me.

"I think you're leaving out some things, Annabeth. I didn't know my daughter. My camp life was shattered because our mutual friends had to pick sides when we broke up. And most chose _you_. The girl, who I had not only loved but had been best friends with, probably would have thrown something at me if I happened to run into her on the street, but I was given a constant reminder of her whenever I saw the ad for her company on my way to work."

I blushed at Malcolm's constant advertising.

"And I knew when I walked down the aisle and said I do that she would choose her job over me in an instant. Even though I told myself, she would learn to put me first, I knew she shouldn't have to _learn_ to put me first. Oh, and I wanted kids so badly and she wanted to focus on her career."

I stared at him for a minute, not sure how to respond.

"Wow, that's a lot," I paused before adding comic relief to the conversation about a torturous marriage, "I would have only thrown something at you if you came to my office. I would have just turned around and stomped away if I saw you on the street."

Percy grinned.

_**XXXXXXX**_

Malcolm and Katie weren't lying when they told me Steven was a good baby. If anything, he was an excellent baby. But babies are still human. And the baby soon shoes its human side.

It was nice taking care of Steven, now that Sarah didn't seem to need me too much these days. It was even better to sit there and watch Percy make those little faces and tell baby rhymes as he fed Steven. And I felt my heart melt as I watched Percy play with baby Steven.

But slowly by slowly as the clock ticked down, it became less cute and more person. By the time it was time to go to sleep, Percy and I fell asleep as soon as we hit the mattress. And we prayed that the Steven would stay calm in the little guest room I had all set up for him. Percy was even nice enough to bring extra trinkets from his home to him, just so he would stay asleep. And little baby Steven did. He stayed asleep for three hours until at two AM we heard him squeal. Percy and I disagreed on who should get him, and I lost since he was _my _nephew. An hour later, just as I was getting back into deep sleep, he cried again. Percy got him, but, yet an hour later, the baby howled up a storm.

"Your turn," Percy moaned, and I stirred, still asleep. I scooted closer and clung onto him.

"Please, Percy, _please_," I pleaded, not even opening my eyes.

"Fine," Percy moaned again and pushed me off of him. I slid back into my spot and nuzzled into my comfortable pillow. I saw the light of the door opening, and a shadow of a 6'3 man left the door. I smiled to myself and shut my eyes tighter.

The crying stopped, and I was falling asleep again when the shadow reappeared. Then I heard a baby's yawn.

I sat up in bed and groggily looked at Percy, who was cradling Steven in his arms. He came to the bed and picked up a pillow from the floor. He set it in-between where Percy slept and me. He quickly made a little barrier around the pillow and set Steven down.

"This should be easier," Percy slid into bed and fell asleep before I could comment.

_**XXXXXXXX**_

The sun peered into the room, and my eyes fluttered open.

I first saw Steven, who was cuddling a baby blue blanket I had given his mother at her baby shower. His grey eyes were hidden because he was sleeping, and I could hear his small breaths. It was amazing to think how he went from that little demon last night to an angel this morning.

"I think I figured out why babies are so cute."

I looked up to see that Percy was propped up on his arm and looking at Steven and me.

"Why is it?" I smiled at Percy, trying to enjoy this little family moment going on.

"It's to make up for the screaming and annoying things they do. It works on the guy, but the girl does have to go through labor. So what's your input?"

"I had a bad fall and had to get an early C-Section. So, I don't know about the labor thing," I shrugged, knowing Katie complained about it all the time, "But the nine months are hell."

Percy nodded with a smile.

I glanced at the bulky alarm clock over Percy's shoulder and read the time.

_10:03 AM._

"How long have you been up?" I blinked my eyes open again, trying not to fall asleep again.

"Well, Steven woke up two hours ago. I fed him, and he went right back to sleep. I guess I woke up again about fifteen minutes ago," Percy shrugged as he shifted Steven's blanket to cover his little feet.

"He almost makes you want to have a baby, huh?" he ruffled Steven's hair.

"_Almost_," I smirked, "If I remember correctly, you took Steven crying the worst."

"Still," he smiled down at Steven, and I just watched Percy.

"You really want a baby, huh?" I sat up, smiling.

"What?" he knit his eyebrows in confusion.

"Oh come on. You bring up kids, like all the time."

"You're aware we have a seven year old daughter, right?"

"Well, _yeah_, but you point out babies like every two seconds."

"_I do not_," Percy crossed his arms.

"Yes, you do," I laughed. Percy paused before finally responding.

"All right, _fine_. I want a baby. What does it matter?" he laughed.

"I just want to know why. I mean, monsters _stalk_ us twenty-four-seven. And both of us have high-up, busy jobs. _And_ we have a busy seven year old. Most people in the situation feel the _opposite_ about having a baby," I shrugged.

"I don't know. I just do. Why do you care so much?" he shrugged, almost blushing.

"I don't know. It's kinda sweet, I guess," I smiled, and Percy opened his mouth to respond when Steven woke up.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I can't find the name for Malcolm's wife, if I even named her.<strong>_


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_**Annabeth:**_

I pressed the button on the coffee machine. Lovely, lovely Percy had taught me Sally's secret to make her beyond delicious French Toast. Of course, I had Percy make four slices, and I only made two. But mine didn't look too bad, and that was a true accomplishment in comparison to my past attempts at cooking.

It was Saturday morning, about nine. I had Saturdays off, but this was a Saturday Percy had to work,. Sarah hated these days, and I did, too. So, I usually tried to make a day of it. Even before Percy had moved it, I picked up Sarah in the morning, and Percy would pick her up after work if it happened to be his week with Sarah.

Today, I was going to take her to a museum of her choice, as she loved museums even more than I did. (Yes, it _is_ possible)

"Why can't Steven come over this weekend?" Sarah begged Percy, and it just made him smile.

"Well, Sarah, his parents missed him. And I'm sure we can watch him some other time," Percy smiled as he picked up the empty plate that had once held a giant breakfast for Sarah.

"But why didn't I get to see him?" Sarah asked as she finished off her orange juice.

"You didn't want to go see your grandmother?" Percy asked, faking perplexity.

"No, I _did_," Sarah continued, "But I wanted to see Steven, too!"

I smiled as I watched them talk. They bantered like Percy and I used to when we were kids, and Percy always gave into Sarah, just like it had been when we argued.

They continued while I picked up my cup of coffee from the machine and looked through the map of the museum Sarah had chosen last night. I was figuring out which exhibits she would choose when the intercom buzzed. I went there, still thinking of how tired I'd be when I got home from the museum.

"Miss Chase, there's someone here to see you, says it's pretty important."

Probably Calli.

_Again._

"Let them up," I shrugged.

"Will do."

The intercom shut off, and I let go of the button.

"I think Calli's here," I told Percy as I came back to the kitchen.

"Perfect timing, I'm about to leave," Percy smiled as he kissed the top of Sarah's head and came to kiss my cheek, "Good luck, Annabeth."

I nodded, imagining how I would kill him for leaving me alone to deal with Calli, and I watched him hurriedly leave. And I turned my attention back to Sarah.

"Why is Calli _always _here?" Sarah looked me in the eyes, and I hesitated. Of course, I hadn't told Sarah everything about Calli, like how she had cheated on Percy. Or that Amanda was a result of that. I just told her that she and Percy were married but decided they weren't really in love and got a divorce. I never addressed the Amanda subject.

"I don't know, Cutie," I shrugged with a smile, and I bit my tongue not to explain that Calli was still in love with Percy. It would be easier if I left that one alone. Sarah didn't need to know all that. All she really needed to know was that Calli was here again.

Sarah shrugged and went back to her room to make sure she had everything to go to the museum while I waited around for the knock at the door.

_Knock, Knock, Knock-Knock_

And it is.

I mentally groaned as I to the door and opened it wide.

_Holy Crap!_

I was too shocked to say anything, and I just stared at the beautiful brunette in front of me.

Her long brown hair was longer than I remembered, probably extensions, and it swept down her back. Her amber eyes were the same, cruel and icy. She had her tiny body decked out in everything couture. Even her skin looked like it was a result of the best botox guy in the world, and the most expensive too. Everything about her scared me until I could have passed out.

"Annabeth," her voice was melodic but still cold.

"Renee," I nodded, feeling my throat dry up.

"Is Sarah here? Or is she with Percy?" Renee asked, trying to look interested but it didn't work out for her.

"With me," I smiled weakly as I opened the door wider, "Come on in."

She came in without another word and looked around the loft.

"Wonderful place, so _cute_."

I smiled thankfully, but I wanted to strangle her.

"I'll go get Sarah."

Renee nodded thankfully, and I was happy to get away from her. I forced myself to be slow, but I wanted to run up two at a time. I quickly came to Sarah's room and took a look inside. Sarah looked up from her drawing as if silently asking why the hell I was here.

"Sarah, your Aunt Renee is here," I tried to smile, but it didn't really work.

"_Aunt Renee_?"

I nodded, and Sarah looked like she could throw up.

"She wants to see you," I smiled pathetically, and Sarah nodded.

"Uh, sure," Sarah hesitated as she got up and followed me back downstairs.

_**XXXXXXX**_

I stared at Renee.

She had tagged along to the museum but had decided that the museum Sarah had chosen was too boring. So, with Sarah grumbling the entire time, we went to an art museum Renee suggested. I knew Sarah hated every minute of it, but Renee tried to talk to her. When I was nearby, she asked about things like school and friends. But, when I was a foot or two away, she pestered Sarah about me and Percy, trying to get some dirt that Renee could use to get Sarah back to her.

Now, the day was winding down (Thank God!), and we were on our way to drop Sarah off at Carly's for a sleepover with her friends. And I knew I'd get stuck with Renee to talk business, which was actually worse than spending an hour with Hera.

And, I'm just going to add that spending _fifteen minutes_ with Hera is torture. An _hour_? Pure hell.

"Bye, Sarah," I kissed the top of Sarah's head.

"Bye, Mom," she smiled before running back to her friends inside, and I saw Renee's jaw tighten out of the corner of my eye.

"I'll call you if anything happens, Annabeth," Gina smiled at me, and I nodded, trying to seem like I was fine though I wanted to die. Gina closed the door, and I was left alone with Renee.

My heart beat so loud that I worried she could hear it, and I worried for what she'd say next.

"Sarah looks good, taller," Renee smiled lightly.

"Yeah, she just keeps on growing," I nodded, turning myself to look at her.

Renee hesitated.

"I think you _might _be… doing a _good job_," Renee admitted, defeated, "I've never seen her as happy as she is with you and Percy."

I stared at her, eyes wide open.

"I'm not here to complain about your parenting or anything. There's something really important I need to tell you," Renee hesitated again.

"There's a coffee shop next door. We could talk there."

_**XXXXXX**_

I sat at the couch, my head in my hands. I couldn't breathe, and I wanted to cry. It was unbearable, sitting there without anyone else knowing. I needed Percy to be here, giving his strange words of wisdom that always seemed to help somehow even if they didn't make sense.

I was shaking as I stood up and went to the top cabinet in the kitchen. I brought out a bottle of wine, and some of it spilled as I poured it in the glass. It didn't matter though. Stains were nothing to what I knew.

My mind continuously went back to the coffee shop, where Renee let the cat out of the bag. Where she told me what I really didn't want to know.

It was warm there, and it smelled of cinnamon, my favorite. Renee looked awful when she was distressed, and, without her insane beauty, it was easier to be around her. We got two coffees, and I savored every ounce of caffeine from being tired.

I continued to sit there as Renee opened her mouth again. She told me what had happened since Sarah had moved in with me. Right before the house officially owned to someone else, Renee had gone into her sister's old house mainly for old time's sake. She told me that she had gone upstairs to her sister's old room and started crying. She went to the bathroom to wipe away her tears, and she noticed a piece of paper stuck to the back of the mirror that she hadn't noticed before.

There was a scribbled name and number of a woman. Renee had thought Eric was cheating on Jill, but she had never spoken her fears. She ripped up the number out of respect for Eric and left. She regretted getting rid of it, but she went on. But last week, the family had gone over the will of Eric and found a new clause.

A clause for a woman and a baby, his daughter. Everyone freaked out, and they looked into the woman, found out everything about her. And they found out that her child was Eric's child, too.

I was cut of mid-memory when the front door open.

_Finally!_

I set the glass down and stared at the front door hopefully.

"Annabeth," Percy smiled, making me smile too, "I brought Calli over. Something's up with the rent. Thought you could look over it."

I frowned, and Calli came in, holding a little baby.

"Don't be fooled. He really wanted you to meet Amanda," Calli smiled wide, happy with the peace we had all made.

"Oh my God. She looks just like her dad," I gasped and raised my hand to my mouth.

They both stared at me.

"How do you know Amanda's father?" Calli asked, her eyes pleading, and I almost cried.

"Eric Aguilera."

"How do you know him?" Calli asked, just as Percy said "Sarah's dad?"

"_Sarah's dad?"_

"He and his wife adopted Sarah," I continued, and Calli's eyes widened.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Percy demanded Calli.

"I didn't know, I swear. He told me his daughter was Sarah. But I didn't think it was _this_ Sarah. How did you find out?" Calli asked me.

"Sarah's aunt came over and told me. Eric left something in the will for you and Amanda."

"He did?" Calli asked, on the verge of tears.

"So that's why the car crashed. He told Jill, and she freaked out," Percy continued to piece it together. And, at the thought of that, Calli started to cry and held her baby close to her. If I wasn't too shocked from the information myself, I would have killed Percy right then.

"I killed him," Calli's voice was a whisper, but I heard it just fine. I stared at her with pity, knowing I couldn't do anything to ease her pain.

_**Percy:**_

I came to the living room and handed Calli a cup of tea, her favorite kind. Annabeth was taking care of Amanda in our room, and it was my job to make sure my ex-wife didn't commit suicide in our living room.

"Thanks," Calli smiled weakly, and she sipped at the tea, still thinking

"He cared," Calli's voice sounded broken.

"What?"

"He cared enough to put us in the will. He only knew for two days, and he did that for us. I kept telling myself that he would of left Jill and stayed with me. But I didn't really know," Calli shrugged, "I was so worried that day that I'd never hear from him again. That he'd go find another girl and pretend Amanda wasn't his…But he was going to stay, stay with _me_."

I stared at her, not sure if there was anything I could even say to her that would help or if I'd just make it worse.

We sat there in silence for a while before Calli wiped away her tears.

"I need to get Amanda home," she stood up, still crying.

"We can take care of her if you want," I suggested, but she shook her head when I was mid-sentence.

"No, I need to be with Amanda, remember that Eric gave me the best thing in my life. Stuff like that," Calli shrugged, and I just nodded, "I'll go get her from Annabeth."

I nodded again, and she turned around towards my room. But she hesitated for a moment.

"Percy?"

I looked up and mentally urged her to continue.

"That question you asked, in the hall I mean. I never got to give my opinion," Calli explained.

"Yeah?"

"Do it," she smiled.

"I will."

She smiled at me again, and I knew she had just let go of me. I was Annabeth's now. And Calli was ready to find a new Percy, or better yet, a new Eric.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

_**Percy,**_

"You guys be good," Annabeth kissed the top of Sarah's head, but she looked at me seriously, telling me that she was serious about the good part.

"Got it, Mommy," Sarah smiled wide, and Annabeth smiled that Mom Smile she did so well.

"I'll be back soon," Annabeth nodded towards the both of us but still didn't leave.

Annabeth's half-sister, whose wedding we went to recently, needed her, something about the miracle that she was pregnant when she had been told she would _never_ have a baby. Annabeth didn't really know when she was coming back, she just knew that she had to go and see her little sister.

"We'll be fine, Annabeth."

"Which brand of air freshener is Sarah allergic to?" Annabeth crossed her arms, and I stumbled.

"Febreze," I finally answered.

"Febreze what?"

I bit my lip and tried to think.

"Water," Sarah nudged me.

"Ocean air."

Annabeth still didn't seem satisfied, though I had named the correct thing. I guess it had to do with the fact that Sarah had to help me along…

"I'll have Sally come by," Annabeth nodded.

"That's a good idea," I nodded, suddenly realizing that I didn't know which medicine I should give her if I do accidentally spray Ocean Air in here.

"Love you, Sweetie," Annabeth kissed the top of Sarah's head and kissed my cheek, "Love you, too."

"Love you, too, Annabeth. Tell Kierra congratulations," I smiled at her, and she smiled one last time before finally doing what she said she'd do and left.

I could sense that my daughter was a little worried. I mean, I had taken care of her for a long time. But it had been a long time since that, and I still had to occasionally call Annabeth to ask her things about Sarah. I just wasn't good at it, raising a kid, like Annabeth was. I was a good dad and everything, but I couldn't take on the mom role to really be able to parent Sarah alone.

Sarah looked up at me, as if deciding if she should call Sally immediately or not.

"It'll be fine, Kiddo."

"You forgot what I was allergic to."

"I did not. The name escaped me for one moment. I would have thought of it on my own, Sarah. _Eventually._"

"_Eventually_?"

"Eventually."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, as if that answered everything, and I just ruffled her hair.

"Will ice cream make it better?"

"I don't know. Am I allergic to it?"

"Funny," I went back to the kitchen to get her favorite, Cookies and Cream, out of the freezer.

_**XXXXXXX**_

I woke up to someone shaking me awake.

"I'll get up later, Annabeth," I groggily pleaded.

"Daddy."

I opened my eyes to see a little six year old girl standing beside my bed.

"Sarah," I sat up and looked at her, "What is it?"

"I can't sleep."

"Oh," I rubbed at my eyes, and Sarah paused.

"Wanna watch a movie?"

"A_ movie_?"

"A movie," Sarah nodded, and I admit that I waited a moment. The offer of going back to sleep was almost impossible to resist, but the idea of getting quality time with my daughter, and proving that I was too a good dad, was the only thing that beat it out.

"Sure, what movie?"

Sarah smiled, and I followed her down stairs, bringing a blanket along with me because Sarah always needed a blanket when she watched movies. After ten minutes of trying, she finally convinced me to watch Cinderella 3.

By the way, I didn't even _know _that there was a Cinderella 2, much less _3_.

When she settled in on the couch and pressed play, I got up and decided to get the ice cream from the freezer, what was left of it anyway. I ignored the "Sugar in Moderation" rule Annabeth had made and decided to go through with being the Fun Parent, and I simply stuck two spoons in the carton. And I wish Annabeth could have seen how wide Sarah's smile was.

"Thanks, Dad," she snuggled up close to me and took a spoonful of Cookies and Cream.

I was almost asleep when Sarah spoke up.

"Do you love Mommy like the Prince loves Cinderella?"

I smiled to myself as I replied.

"Even more, Cutie," I took another spoonful of ice cream.

Sarah paused again.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Sarah?" I smiled down at my daughter.

"Are you happy?" Sarah abandoned the ice cream and looked up at me.

"What do you mean, Sarah?" I asked, and Sarah hesitated.

"Are you happy? With us? With this family? Do you ever wish you could go back, before I came to live with you?"

I stared at my daughter in disbelief.

Sarah was a very bright girl, it was only natural with her mother's side of the family. But I had never expected her to be this bright, to say this to me. I guess I should have known that my daughter would one day asked me something like this, but I had it to the back of my mind, seeing that that day wasn't today.

I couldn't help but think about Sarah's question

My life had never been _great_ really, but it came with the territory of being the son of the sea god and everything. I guess I should have been happy before though. I had a job I loved with a comfortable life, and my wife was great (Well, she could be _worse_). I had everything in a row, for the first and only time in my life.

But I don't think I was happy.

Other than the fact that my wife was secretly evil, I was forever thinking about Annabeth, about that baby I never got to meet. That's why I wanted me and Calli to have a baby so much, I wanted to make up for my mistakes with Annabeth.

"Sarah," I almost cried as I pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, "I love you so much. So much that I can't imagine living life without you, much less _wish _it. And this family…" I trialed off.

Sarah urged me on with her big grey eyes.

"This family is everything to me, I never want to let it go. And," I paused, realizing this wasn't how I wanted to tell her, but I needed to now, "I'm going to make us a family."

"Make us a family?" Sarah knit her eyebrows in confusion, and I smiled.

I couldn't help but hold a dramatic pause, especially with that look of "Speak up already!" in Sarah's eyes. It was just in my blood to wait before explaining what I meant, even if that meant my daughter was thinking of ways to torture it out of me.

"Next week, we are going to adopt you. And then… and then, I'm going to propose to your mom."

Sarah sat up straighter and looked at me.

"_Propose_?"

I nodded, glad to see how happy she looked about it.

"Yeah, Sarah. Propose."

"When?" Sarah continued, not giving up just yet, "Where? How?"

"Well, I was going to propose this weekend, but Mommy's out of town."

"What now?"

"Well, I'm still working that out, Sarah. But it won't be long, I promise you that."

Sarah smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I love you, Daddy!"

"I love you, too, Sarah," I kissed the side of Sarah's head.

_**Annabeth,**_

I hugged my sister goodbye and looked at her.

It was hard to think that my little sister, who had been that little eight year old girl hiding in the corner of the Athena cabin was going to have her own baby. It was hard enough to know that she wasn't that little girl, that she was married and all grown up.

I still saw her like that little girl, like Sarah. I remembered her with her curly hair looking wild and her big brown eyes looking as sweet as Hersey's chocolate. I saw her as that little kid who I read bedtime stories to at night and who couldn't sleep without her favorite American Girl doll, Reilly.

I had never seen Kierra smile like she smiled now. She was a cute kid, always smiling. But this smile was so pure, so bright, that not even that immense grin on her face as she married George could even be held to it. Kierra never thought she would become a mother, she would told it would be an act of God really.

"Tell Sarah her Aunt Kierra said hello, and tell Percy that it's time to get started," she poked my stomach, "So that my little kid can have a cousin their age."

"How does it feel? With this little baby?" I smiled, ignoring the other baby comment for now.

"You were pregnant, you know, Annabeth," Kierra smiled.

"I meant not being too young to enjoy it. And being married, too."

"Did you just call me old?" Kierra crossed her arms decidedly but her radiant smile gave her away.

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

Kierra playfully shoved me.

"Just remember, you're my _older _sister," Kierra playfully shoved me, and I smiled to myself.

"Thanks for rubbing it in."

"But I was serious about the baby. I want there to be another baby for my kid to be cousins with, not just Malcolm's kid. Pretty, pretty please," Kierra clasped her hands and begged.

"It wouldn't be a stretch for Percy," I admitted, "He's basically _obsessed_ with babies."

"Why not go for it?" Kierra crossed her arms and shrugged.

"Well, Sarah, I guess."

"You think she wouldn't love a sibling? Do we know different Sarah's or something?"

"No, I mean about keeping _another_ baby but _not her_. That's not really fair, is it?"

"Sarah's forgiven you for that, Annabeth."

I looked away, and Kierra guessed spot on what my problem was.

"_You_ haven't forgiven yourself, have you?"

I paused, not ready to answer that question.

"I better go, okay, Kierra. Love you," I kissed her cheek and headed back towards the car.

"Love you, too, Annabeth!"

_**XXXXXX**_

"Do you think Sarah's okay?" I sat down on the bed while Percy continued to search the room for his cell phone for the alarm in the morning.

My little sister had been so happy to announce that she was pregnant that I had become a little jealous. I wished I could have been that happy when I found out I was pregnant with Sarah. Instead, I broke up with the father, and love of my life, and put the beautiful baby girl up for adoption.

Both are my two biggest regrets.

I had gotten home this afternoon after spending two days with my sister, and I had to admit that I missed home. I missed my busy city and my family waiting inside of it, and the only thing that hadn't made me smile as I drove home was the realization that Percy would brag about not giving Sarah an allergic reaction.

"She's fine," Percy shrugged, and Percy fiddled with his phone before plugging it into the wall, "Why do you ask?"

"She always wants to sleep in our bed once one of us has been away, and she's already asleep in her room. Isn't that odd?" I hugged my knees and continued to look at Percy.

"Not really. She's been really tired," Percy told me as he sat down on the bed beside me.

"Hmm," I continued.

"Annabeth, she's fine," Percy kissed my neck.

I didn't move, still thinking.

"She's six years old," Percy kissed up higher on my neck, "Six year olds get tired, believe it or not."

"I know."

"Then stop obsessing over it."

"I'm not _obsessing_, Percy."

"Yes," Percy kissed my chin, "You are."

"I'm a mom, it's my job. She's my kid."

"_Our_ kid, Annie," Percy kissed me on the lips this time, and that woke up me up from my trance of worrying for Sarah.

_**Next one is Percy proposing!**_


	20. Chapter Twenty

_**Percy:**_

I smiled to myself as I hung up the framed paperwork that made Sarah Aguilera become Sarah Jackson and legally my daughter.

I couldn't help but continue to stare at it.

When I had thought about this day, I had thought that I would feel pained because of the fact that, though we shared the same DNA, she was just now my legal daughter. But I didn't feel that. I felt overall happiness swell inside me. I felt pride for my daughter on how wonderful she was, and to see that smile on Annabeth's face was amazing.

The only thing that could break me out of the joyful trance of staring at the document was the laughing sound from my two favorite girls.

I turned around and smiled at the two of them, Annabeth and Sarah.

It seemed like Sarah was looking more like her mother every day, though she seemed to also be looking like me in some ways. But she was the spitting image of how her mother looked when she was a little girl.

And I began to see things from Annabeth's father's perspective. I began to see why he had never liked me, and why he had hated me when he found out that I was dating Annabeth. And I began to wonder how many times Annabeth had defended me so that he didn't kill me. I wouldn't of had the strength not to kill me when Annabeth got pregnant if I was Frederick.

"Do I have to go to bed?" Sarah complained as Annabeth continued to brush her hair.

"Yes, you do, Sarah. We have to get up early tomorrow. You're going to spend the day with your Uncle Malcolm."

Malcolm owed us a lot of babysitting time with Steven, which I hadn't minded since I loved to be around babies. But I had been happy to ask for it in return when it came to this.

Sarah pouted but let her mother continue to braid her messy black curls.

"Oh come on, you know you want to see your cousin," I sat down on the couch beside her, and Sarah mulled it over.

"I guess," Sarah crossed her arms.

"I'm going to put away the brush. But it's bedtime right after that," Annabeth told her, but I didn't even believe her. I knew her very well, well enough to know that we'd probably be up until midnight when Annabeth would finally get her way and get Sarah to bed.

"Are you going to ask her tonight?" Sarah quickly asked me, forgetting her earlier anger.

"Sort of."

"Sort of?" Sarah looked at me skeptically.

"It'll make sense tomorrow, Kiddo."

Sarah continued to stare at me, as if she was deciding whether or not to believe me.

"I promise, Sarah."

"Alright," Sarah finally nodded, and I could hear the bedroom door close, which meant Annabeth was back on her way here.

_**XXXXX**_

I blinked my eyes open.

I had never really gotten to sleep. I had just kind of drifted from being full awake to being half-asleep. But Annabeth had basically passed out the second her head hit the pillow, well not a pillow but my chest.

I brushed Annabeth's hair out of her eyes, though she was asleep anyway, and I smiled as she 'Hmm'ed and curled up closer around me.

I tried to remember if I had smiled like this when I had woken up with Calli curled around me. But I couldn't think of an instance. Only with Annabeth.

I thought back to my promise to Sarah.

I had planned on proposing tonight before we fell asleep, but Annabeth didn't give me a chance.

Which is why I had a new plan.

I reached into my nightstand drawer and reached for the ring box inside.

I opened it up and looked at the ring for a while.

It was simple looking. It was the kind of ring that I knew Annabeth, unlike how Calli had demanded a flashy ring, which she had taken with her when we got divorced. This ring was a teardrop shaped diamond with diamonds surrounding it.

I smiled down at it and looked at Annabeth's hand, and I slid the ring on.

_**Annabeth:**_

I groaned as the alarm clock beeped, and I was about to reach over Percy and beat the hell out of the machine. But Percy turned it off before I could, and I just tried to go back to sleep, realizing that I had fallen asleep on him.

Yesterday, as can be imagined, was stressful enough, but it had been so late to get to sleep. And it was so early that I was expected to get up.

I was about to ask Percy if he could take Sarah to Malcolm's and let me sleep when I heard him speak.

"Morning, Annabeth."

I mentally sighed but opened my eyes.

"Good morning,," I smiled and looked into his green eyes.

Percy leaned down and kissed me, and I kissed back, hoping it would wake me up.

I was running my fingers through his hair when I noticed something different.

My finger felt kind of heavier.

….Like something was on it.

I separated from kissing Percy to look at my hand, and I gasped.

"Will you marry me, Annabeth Chase?" Percy took my hand and kissed the ring.

I couldn't speak. I wanted to scream repeatedly my acceptance, but I was so shocked that I couldn't speak. I could see Percy become worried, as if my silence was to warn him of my declining. But I still couldn't tell him that I would.

Seeing as I couldn't speak, I pulled his head to kiss me again.

"I'll take that as-" Percy's lips separated from mine long enough to say that, but I just kept kissing him until he got a chance to finish it, "-as a yes."

I smiled against his lips, and he was wrapping his arms around me when the door opened.

Sarah stood at the door for a minute, giving us enough time to stop kissing and look at her, and a smile spread across her lips.

"You finally proposed!" Sarah ran up to us and jumped on the bed, where she hugged the two of us.

"Finally?"

"Maybe I've had the ring for a while," Percy smiled, and Sarah continued to congratulate us.

_**Okay, so I basically have this thing planned out as to how it's going to end.**_

_**Don't worry. You have over seven chapters left.**_


	21. Chapter Twenty One

_**Annabeth:**_

I looked through the wedding options and thought about what I wanted in a wedding, what Percy wanted in a wedding.

I never wanted a big wedding, not now especially. I just wanted to marry Percy, and he had already had his big wedding with Calli. There were really only two people who wanted us to have a big wedding, Sally and Sarah. The rest of us were perfectly fine with us just getting married.

I was trying to find some sort of middle ground, but it almost seemed impossible.

"Knock, knock."

Calli.

I looked at my cell phone.

It was rent day.

"Come on in. It's unlocked," I called out as I continued to look at wedding dresses on my laptop.

"Got it," I heard the door open, and Calli's heels clacked on the hardwood floors as she came in.

I smiled up at her before turning my attention back to the dresses, but Calli liked to make 'Entrances', so I could hear it all. She walked slowly but sat down beside me at the kitchen table, where she kicked off her shoes and looked over to my laptop.

"Oh right. Wedding dresses. Have you two decided what kind of wedding you want yet?" Calli began to massage her feet.

"No, our family wants a big wedding and everything. But I'm not sure I want that," I looked towards Calli.

"I'm surprised Percy doesn't want a big wedding. With all his family and stuff. That's what he wanted with me, and I had to have a big wedding. For my job and all."

I usually didn't like it when Calli brought up the fact that she used to be married to Percy, but I had gotten used to it by now. I was actually friends with Calli. When Sarah came to live with me, I stopped hanging out so much with my single friends. And my mom-friend, Gina, was getting to judgmental. And Calli and I had a lot in common.

We had daughters who had the same father, Sarah's adopted father Eric.

We had both been engaged to Percy.

We both had been single moms.

And we both had demanding jobs.

Though we still left some topics untouched, we were pretty close, and it felt nice to have finally buried the hatchet with Calli.

Or at least it was buried most of the time.

"He already had a big wedding with you," I shrugged.

"Then why not just go to City Hall and get the thing done with?"

"Family. Sarah. They want a real wedding, not City Hall," I closed my laptop.

"I guess I can understand that," Calli nodded.

I had to admit that she was pretty. She had been absolutely gorgeous when she was younger, but she was still beautiful. She had dark brown eyes, like chocolate. Her dark brown, almost black, hair went to her chin, and she had bangs to cover an odd scar on her forehead that she had by falling down. She dressed how you'd expect for her line of work.

Colorful yet professional.

She wore what I wore, in a way. High heels that can make your feet ache like hell. Black trousers or high waist-skirts. Silky tops tucked in, only hers were in all sorts of colors. And she got bangles, which Malcolm had banned me from ever wearing in the office.

"You know," Calli told me as she began to put her shoes back on, "One of my friends got married in Fiji. Took all of close family and a few really good friends, including me. It was pretty great. A combination of the big wedding but not a lot of people. I loved it."

"Fiji?"

"Yeah, totally loved it. You've never thought about it?"

"No, not really."

"Bring it up to Percy, maybe? I think he'd love it," Calli slid on her last shoe and put her check on the table.

"Maybe," I let the words wash over my tongue as I thought it all over.

"I have to get to daycare. They're already mad at me for being this late. And I'm already on their bad side," Calli told me as she left.

_**Percy:**_

"So, we tell Sarah when?" I asked Annabeth, and she shook her head as she continued to pick up plates for the pizza.

"You act like she won't like the idea of Hawaii."

"I don't know."

"You can make a pretty good guess."

I raised my eyebrows as if to ask.

"The good guess is that she'll love it, Percy," Annabeth laughed as she looked at me.

I nodded and picked up a breadstick.

"I have another good guess about how someone will take it," Annabeth continued.

"Your mother?"

"Not well. I mean, she would have taken it worse if I was pregnant or something. But it's not going to be a happy day when she finds out," Annabeth shrugged as she stared at the stairs, waiting for Sarah to finally show up.

"When is that day?"

"What day?"

Today apparently.

Athena stood at the top of the stairs, with our seven year old daughter beside her. She was in the form she always was with this family, which I had learned was different for Malcolm. But Sarah had seen her like this only. Though she knew about the gods and everything, Sarah didn't need too much confusion.

Why is it that I only see Athena unexpectedly

I hope this doesn't keep happening.

"Mom, you're here," Annabeth tried to seem like it was planned for the sake of Sarah, but her confusion was evident.

"Just came to see Sarah here," Athena ruffled Sarah's curly hair.

"Want to stay for dinner?" Annabeth finally asked, nodding towards the pizza box.

"Oh, I'd love to, but I've got to get to the Meeting."

That's what she called the meeting in Olympus when Sarah is around.

"I just came to see how Sarah was," Athena told us as she came down the stairs with Sarah, "Now what is this day you were talking about?"

Athena's grey eyes washed over Annabeth's hand.

Her eyes widened.

"Hey, Sarah, can you maybe change out of your uniform? I don't want to stain another one of your uniform shirts," Annabeth smiled at Sarah, and she nodded. She told her grandmother goodbye before running back to her room, and Athena stared at Annabeth's hand as she continued down the stairs.

She pointed to the ring.

Annabeth nodded.

Athena digested this.

"How long?" she finally asked.

"Not long."

At first, I couldn't tell who had said it.

Then I realized it was _my voice._

"You didn't tell me?" Athena asked, waiting for us to explain the reason.

"I was going to tell you later," Annabeth smiled weakly.

"Who knows?" she asked.

Annabeth looked at me to fill in some of the dots.

"My parents. My step-dad. A few friends from work. Grover. And Chiron."

That was who I told at least.

"Dad and his wife. Their two sons, Bobby and Mattie. Malcolm and his wife. Rachel. Calli. Two other friends. And Sarah."

Athena nodded as she thought all of this over

"We've decided to get married in Hawaii, with all of our family and such. You're the first to know that," Annabeth smiled, and Athena let out a small laugh, as if it was a funny conciliation.

Finding out a big wedding detail in exchange for not knowing about her daughter's engagement.

It wasn't a deal I'd make.

"Well at least you're not pregnant," Athena laughed lightly, and Annabeth joined in, though I was too shocked to be alive to _laugh._


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

_**Annabeth,**_

"Rachel, this is Calli," I turned to Calli, "Calli, this is Rachel."

They both hesitated.

Both had heard the stories of the other, and neither could understand why the other was in the wedding party. I mean, I should hate both of them.

Rachel tried to steal Percy from me.

Calli married Percy.

But I was friends with both of them, and I didn't care if they hated one another. This was my wedding, and they were going to have to do their bridesmaids duties and do as I say.

God, I love being the bride.

"Hi," Calli finally held out her hand, and Rachel took t into consideration before finally shaking it.

"Nice to meet you," Rachel gave Calli a once-over, and Calli returned it.

After a long time, where I wondered if I had a made the right move by asking both to be my bridesmaids, I broke the silence and motioned towards the rows and rows of dresses.

"We better get started," I smiled.

I had told the two that they could pick out their own bridesmaids dresses as long as they showed me and I approved. I have to admit, I did have a bit of trouble with Calli bringing out things that were a little too colorful, but they both ended up with little black dresses that would do them well.

"I thought Sarah was coming," Calli was the first of the girls to speak.

"She's with her dad and grandfather. They're going to the Aquarium," I smiled at the thought of my future father-in-law. While he hated my mother, he didn't hold it against me, unlike my judgmental goddess mother. And, as the mother of his only granddaughter, I happened to have earned a place in the god's heart, even if I screwed up along the way.

I quickly changed the subject before Rachel could start on the fact that she was one of Sarah's godparents, and I signed in to my appointment. I was a little hesitant to leave the two girls while I tried on wedding dresses. But I was forced to.

"You're just going to love this one, Annabell!"

"Annabeth," I corrected the saleswoman as she helped me into the dress.

And she was wrong about the dress, too.

As she zipped it up, I dreaded what my friends were going to say.

They would say that they loved it, that it was so Annabeth.

And it _was_ so Annabeth.

I should have loved it.

It was mermaid-style, like what I always thought I'd get married it. There was also an element of organza that filled the little girl inside of every woman, no matter how much she tries to hide it. It fit me well, but it wasn't too sexy that I didn't want my daughter to see me in it. The belt was kind of a sheer black that led down my back, and it also had flowers and one big bow on the front.

"Ready to go out and let your friends see?" the sales-woman clasped her hands and smiled at me, her unnaturally white smile.

"Sure," I smiled weakly as I pulled the dress up so that I could walk and began to come out to see my two bridesmaids, who I realized had both kissed my future-husband.

Note to self: don't let either make a speech

"Oh my God, Annie! You look great!" Rachel was the first to speak, which she prided herself in.

"Thanks," I smiled and looked at myself in the mirror again, and I was staring at myself so much that I didn't notice Calli had gotten up until she set her head on my shoulder blade.

"I know that face, I picked out a wedding dress, too," Calli was sure to bring up her advantage on being here to Rachel, "You don't like this one."

I shook my head.

"Not really," I admitted, and the saleswoman sprang into action.

"Do you want more traditional? Sexier?"

I was dumbfounded.

Maybe I should have taken up on my step-mother's offer and worn her dress.

"I don't know," I finally admitted.

"Maybe you should try on something traditional. Just to give a try."

I knew where Rachel was going with that. Since I had told her about my engagement, she had been dying to get me to wear the Princess-Dress. Since she couldn't get married, she wanted to live through me. And, while I understood that, I was not going to wear a ball gown to a small wedding in Hawaii. If not for the style, I'd ruin it within minutes on the sandy shore. And I'd like to keep my wedding dress since Sarah swears she wants to wear next since I have such good taste, though I doubt she really will.

I nodded towards the Saleswoman, and she quickly took me back to the room and got me out of the dress and into a silky robe before running off to get another dress for me.

I waited impatiently for what felt like forever until the blonde returned, holding up a dress bag like a trophy from war. And she made an event of taking it out of the bag.

I mentally cringed as I saw it, but I bit my lip and slid into it anyway.

I was surprised by how much I loved it.

It took forever to button up the back, but it gave it a vintage feel. The lace looked like it was floating on air, but I wasn't crazy about the over the top bow. But that could be fixed. And the front lace covered my shoulders and chest, and it had a plunging back-line (I don't know what to call it) that tied into the back. And the sweeping bottom would definitely keep Sarah and Rachel happy.

"You look magnificent!" she was sure to not bring my name in case she'd screw up again.

"Thanks," I tried my hardest to be friendly, though I didn't really like her.

The sales-woman decided to take it to the next level and carried my train as I walked out of the dressing room and to see my friends.

Calli's mouth formed an 'O', and Rachel smiled happily that she had been right while Calli had opted for something more modern for me. And it limited my words as not to feed the fire growing between the two bridesmaids.

"You look awesome!" Calli smiled, ignoring Rachel for now.

"Perfect!"

I smiled at myself as I spun around in the dress, and I was thinking of offering to buy the dress on the spot. But I decided to take my mother's advice and at least try on three.

"Can I try on one more? The one I picked out? Just to be sure?"

"Of course!" the saleswoman now sounded annoyed.

She hurried me to the dressing room, and she basically ripped off the dress with her annoyance and slid me into the next one.

I gasped as I felt at the dress.

It was perfect!

I was beaming as I came to show my friends, and they were speechless.

And then I saw that this dress really was the dress because they worked together.

"That."

"Is."

"Perfect!" they gleefully laughed together.

"We'll take it," I smiled to the saleswoman.

_**No, you're not seeing the dress until the wedding. But that should only be a chapter or two away.**_

_**Percy,**_

"Why so smiley today?" I smiled at my six year old daughter, and she giggled, which warmed my heart.

"We just picked out Sarah's dress for the wedding," Annabeth smiled as she held up a dress bag, and Sarah ran up to me on the couch.

"It's perfect, Daddy," Sarah smiled as she wrapped her arms around my neck, and she began to tell me details about it, which I didn't understand because it was too detailed. But I listened anyway, and I smiled with every word she said.

And finally she got to a part I understood.

"I can't wait for the wedding!" Sarah giggled.

I brushed Sarah's hair out of her grey eyes.

"Neither can I, neither can I," I smiled.

"We don't have much longer," Annabeth told us as she came back down the stairs, without the dress bag this time, "Which reminds me, I need to call Sally about the flights."

Annabeth had been in wedding-mode since we had set the date, March Twenty-First, which was only a few weeks away. I understood that one of us had to do all of this work since we had decided to get married so soon, but I kind of missed the "Soon-to-Be-Married-Bliss" I had with Calli when we were approaching our wedding, even if I loved Annabeth more.

"How many people are going?" Sarah asked as she climbed off me to sit on the opposite side of the couch.

She did this because she knew that I would wrap my arms around Annabeth if she sat beside me, and Sarah thought that it was so sweet.

Hmm, how many people _were _coming?

There's my best man, Grover Underwood.

Then there's my other old friend, Jason, who couldn't bring along his fiancé (yes, we're engaged at the same time) who he's been with since our quest together.

There's Frank, who I was in a way related to and good friends with.

Nico, my crazy cousin.

That's my wedding party.

Then there's Annabeth bridesmaids.

Her maid of honor, Rachel.

Annabeth's best friend ever who said she'd be in the wedding despite Artemis, Thalia.

My ex-wife Calli, who strangely is Annabeth's new best friend after a fall-out with Gina.

And then Hazel, who also was in our Roman Quest, and Annabeth's best long-distance friend.

There's my mom and step-father.

Then there's Annabeth's dad and step-mom.

Her two half-brothers, Mattie and Bobby.

My dad.

Athena.

Chiron.

Malcolm. His Wife.

How many is that?

Nineteenteen?

I know that Clarisse and long-time-husband, Chris, couldn't come. Juniper, Grover's wife, couldn't leave Camp. Some other camp friends, the few that Annabeth had cared enough to stay in touch with, had sounded heartbroken that they couldn't come since they all had thought this day would never come, like Leo.

Wait, did the Stoll brothers say they _could _or _couldn't _come_?_

"Twenty. Apollo is determined to be the one who marries us. But I think he just wants a reason to come to Hawaii," Annabeth shrugged as she sat down between me and Sarah, which made Sarah smile.

"Apollo is marrying us? I thought Chiron was."

"Found out he didn't have enough time to get his degree so it could be legal," Annabeth shrugged, "And you know Apollo. Once he wants something he won't take no for an answer."

I quickly made note for him never to see Sarah once she grew up in case he decided he wanted her.

"Is Apollo the really handsome one?"

Sarah had only seen Apollo once, when he stopped Annabeth one day at the park to ask her for girl advice.

"Yeah, Sarah," Annabeth smiled as she brushed Sarah's hair out of her eyes, probably making a mental reminder to get her a haircut soon.

I don't know why it was that I got jealous about Annabeth calling him handsome, especially since it was Apollo we were talking about. But I suddenly had to wrap my arms around Annabeth's shoulder, as if showing Apollo up in the sky that she was mine.

But I knew that if he hadn't come after her yet, he never would.

"But, if Chiron isn't legal, wouldn't Apollo be the same?"

"He got his way and sped up the process," Annabeth shrugged.

More like got his way with some girl.

"So, is Uncle Chiron still coming?"

I smiled at the name Chiron had chosen.

Chiron adored Sarah, as most people did. She was a combination of the parts he loved best out of us, the better parts, and I was surprised that he hadn't adopted her instead of Eric and Jill. I had never seen Sarah grow to anyone so fast, except for Annabeth or me. And it was so funny to watch Chiron with Sarah.

I don't know what it is. Maybe it's that he had taught me to be lethal, but it was so ironic to watch him play around with a little girl.

"Of course, Cutie. He helped raise your dad and me. It wouldn't be the same without him."

Helped wasn't doing Chiron any justice in Annabeth's case, and Annabeth knew it, too.

But she was trying to hide that dirty secret for Sarah's sake.

Sarah smiled at the thought of her favorite uncle, or her favorite uncle so far since she had barely gotten to know the fun Bobby.

"He's already booked his flight. And I'm pretty sure he's sitting next to you," Annabeth smiled as she poked Sarah's stomach, and she smiled wide at the thought of this.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

_**Annabeth:**_

"Gummy worm, Mommy?" Sarah held out a bag of sour gummy worms, and I almost said yes.

But then I thought back to the wedding dress in my luggage.

"I'm good, Sarah, thanks though."

Sarah shrugged as she bit into another gummy worm, and I glanced down at my carry-one, where I had bags and bags of the sugary treat.

Most of the wedding party was flying straight on to Hawaii, but we had gone to San Francisco to see my parents for the night to help break-up the flight for Sarah's sake. Sarah loved to once again see her uncles, Bobby and Matthew. And seeing his little niece was probably the best consolation we could have given Matthew to make the flight from England to San Fran worth it.

Then I glanced at the engagement ring.

It seemed to be shining even brighter in the airport, and it was so beautiful. When Percy had proposed, I never really looked at the ring, but I couldn't stop looking at it now.

The tear-drop shaped diamond was so clear, so perfect. And the diamonds surrounding it were the same. It fit me perfectly, personality and size wise. Percy had undoubtedly picked out the perfect ring. But I loved Percy, amazing ring or not.

I just happen to _like_ the ring there too.

But I couldn't help but worry.

Percy and I didn't have a _normal_ life. So, some spats were understandable. But our relationship had held more than just little fights.

Let's ignore the obvious (Sarah!), and head for the other stuff.

Like me just leaving him in a parking lot. Never responding to his calls, even if he was the father of my child. Telling him to go to hell more times than I'd care to admit. Moving into a new dorm room so he couldn't find me if he tried.

Finally getting him back in my life and barely doing anything about it. Dating my _daughter's Swim Coach_!

And this is barely breaking into the list.

Could we handle "Forever and Always" or were we waiting to become "The Way I _Loved _You"? _**(A/N: Why not bring some Taylor Swift in the story?)**_

Could we really make this work, beyond the honeymoon phase? When life kicks in?

And he starts asking for another child.

I looked down to my stomach.

I wasn't sure I wanted another child. I wasn't even sure I could carry one after the rough birth with Sarah.

And, what if I didn't want another child? What if I decided not to have any?

Percy would say he understood, of course. And I'd probably even believe him for a while. He might even mean it. We'd move one, raise Sarah. But, one day, when things are reaching the rough phase that everyone gets to, will that come back to haunt me? Will we be able to handle this?

"You okay, Mommy?"

I looked to a wide-eyed Sarah.

"Oh yeah," I lied, "I'm just thinking, Sarah."

As if on cue, the flight attendant called our flight.

_**Percy,**_

"You nervous?" Grover asked as he sat his bag down on the hotel bed.

Nervous.

I was _nervous_ about meetings at work.

I was _nervous_ about having to see Annabeth's ex, Ryan, when I took Sarah to school on parents day.

I was _nervous_ when I saw Athena when she and Annabeth and Sarah went to dinner.

Nervous didn't cover right now.

What _did_ cover it?

Frightened.

Maybe.

But it was all I could think of.

"A little," I lied, but my hands were shaking as I ruffled my hair.

"Dude, clam down," Frank laughed as he collapsed on the other bed.

"It's not bad, being married. I love Juniper, just like you love Annabeth. Everything will be fine, Percy. It's natural to be scared," Grover barely glanced at me as he went to put his toothbrush to the bathroom.

"But you guys have basically been married since you were fifteen!" Frank yelled to the bathroom as he powered up his phone again.

"I agree with Frank!" I yelled as I laid down on Grover's bed, covering my face with my hands.

"Oh, and you and Hazel aren't _still_ like that?" Grover laughed as he began to unpack his bag, which Juniper had carefully organized like only a mother could.

"_Shut up_," Frank growled, like only a son of Mars could.

"What's up with you two? I thought you were talking about marriage," I asked as I began to sit up.

"We are," Frank shrugged.

"_And_?" Grover laughed.

"And we're talking about it," Frank typed away on his phone.

"Juniper and I talked about marriage for like _two days_ before we got engaged. And Percy and Annabeth talked about marriage for like a _month _before he proposed. You've been talking about it for _almost a year_," Grover sat at the foot of his bed, shoving my feet off the bed.

"You guys got engaged when we were eighteen," I pointed out.

"But we didn't get married until we were twenty-seven."

"You proposed when you were eighteen? I was still trying to help Hazel into the time when I was eighteen. Marriage was _so_ out of the question," Frank pressed something on his phone and set it down on the nightstand.

"Yeah," Grover shrugged.

"Hey, how is Juniper? I've barely heard from her since Tyler," I smiled the thought of their son, their adorable little son, who was my godson. Tyler was awesome. If not for just how adorable he was, it was from the fact that he reminded me of a Christmas Decoration with his slightly green tint to his skin and red hair.

"She's pregnant."

Frank and I both sat up to stare at him.

"She's pregnant?"

Grover smiled.

"We found out last week. I wanted to tell everyone together, but…" Grover shrugged.

"Congrats," Frank smiled, but I suddenly noticed that he was the only one without children.

"It's your turn, both of you," Grover playfully shoved me.

"Hey, if I can talk Annabeth into it, I'm right there with you."

"Annabeth doesn't want any more kids?" Frank asked, clearly surprised.

"She hasn't said that, _but_…" I trialed off, and they all nodded.

Annabeth had never told me that she didn't want to have more children, but she had never said that she did. Ever since I first brought it up, she had avoided my question. That day when we were babysitting Steven was the only day I got a real answer from, or close enough to an answer. She had reminded me of monsters, our busy jobs, and our seven year old daughter to raise. But, about a month ago, I finally got an "I don't know", which was a big breakthrough.

Grover simply nodded, and Frank opened his mouth to say something when someone knocked on the door.

"I got it," I quickly got up before we could get back on the subject of Annabeth _not_ wanting any more children.

"And we're here!" Jason came in and headed towards Frank, who he knew the best out of the other groomsmen.

"Chiron," I smiled to the man in the wheelchair.

He looked like he had when I had first met him, I'm pretty sure he was even wearing the same sweater. I had already seen my dad today, meeting me in Hawaii like how Athena had met Annabeth. But it didn't feel as great as seeing Chiron.

In a way, I had two dads.

I was close with Paul and all, but he was a Step-Dad, not quite a dad.

Chiron was a dad, someone I trusted more than anyone in the world, even my own father.

"Perce," Chiron smiled as I came down to hug him.

I had offered Chiron to be my best man, but he wouldn't accept it. He had been my first best man, and he said something to the effect that it would be bad luck for him to be in the wedding.

But Grover was happy to take his spot.

"How are you feeling? Nervous?"

"Yeah," I smiled at Chiron, "But excited, I guess."

"Now, Percy, I need you to warn you something," Chiron began, and I couldn't help but smile.

"What, Chiron?"

"This is the last wedding I am going to come to for you, kiddo," he laughed loudly.

"Good, cause this is going to be my last wedding, too, Old Man."

_**Sarah,**_

"Hey, Kiddo," some woman smiled, Thalia I think.

She was beautiful, I had to admit. Her hair was pitch black like my dad's, and it was the same length of Aunt Calli, going to the top of her shoulder. She seemed to have been cleaned up, but I could still see the jagged ends on her hair and the scars.

"I'm Thalia," she set out her hand for me to shake it, and I timidly did so.

When we got to Hawaii, I went to go see Atty *Athena* at the beach. When we got back to the room, suddenly people just started showing up, coming and going to say hello to my mom.

Aunt Calli, without adorable Amanda.

Aunt Rachel.

My grandfather and grandmother. *Susan and Frederick*

Grandmama *Sally*

Some pretty woman who everyone called Hazel.

And Thalia.

"I've heard a lot about you, you know. I hear you like the ocean," Thalia seemed to be good with kids, but, with everyone staring at me, I felt like I was on display in a museum.

_Come see Sarah Jackson, the daughter of Annabeth and Percy! Come one, come all!_

"Yeah," I smiled.

"You know, your dad helped me a _million_ times with the ocean. I could never figure it out," Thalia smiled, and I continued to stare, trying to find something to say.

But my brainpower was spent.

Honestly, I was surprised that I hadn't run out of things _before_ now. I had been ambushed by family members, bridesmaid, and even some well-meaning room service guys. But it was tiring, and I had already run out of my comfort food, sour gummy worms, almost an hour ago.

"Thalia, I think I found a good dress for you," Aunt Calli quickly scurried to Thalia, and Thalia excused herself from me to go to the group of girls.

From what I had overheard, Thalia had been in my dad's wedding, the first one with Calli.

They didn't seem to really _like_ each other, but they didn't hate each other, which was saying something since Aunt Rachel and Aunt Calli seemed like they were just waiting for someone to look away so that they could kill each other. And Thalia had saved someone's life by offering to bunk with Calli instead of Rachel.

But they were pretending to be fine around my mom.

Everyone had huddled around my mom.

I didn't know what they were really talking about.

The subjects seemed to change every few seconds.

It went from some guy named Frank to Jason. Then it changed to two girls named Reyna and Piper, who were both my mom's friends, and who couldn't make it to the wedding sadly since I had a feeling I would like Piper. Then they started talking about Rome, which didn't see to make much sense. It shifted to how cute my dad had been when he was a teenager, and how happy they were that he didn't really like to wear shirts much back then, and how handsome he was now.

When they started talking about my dad shirtless, I kind of tuned out, and I went back to staring at my dress.

When my mom had picked up from the hanger, I never would of thought that it would be the dress that I liked. I preferred the puffy one with all of the tool and the ballerina skirt that I had picked up, but I decided to try it on for my mom's sake.

When I tried on the sea-foam green dress, I instantly fell in love with it.

Immediately, I worried that my mom would think it was too grown up for me, and she did. But, since I loved it so much, she agreed to just fix it up.

The dress was a silky against my skin. The top was kind of like a wrap dress, without any sleeves. The straps were like triangles, thin and twisting around to go down my back. It went down to my feet, where I would be wearing a pair of perfect green Greek sandals. The dress fit me well, but it was also loose enough for my mom to be fine with it.

"What do you think, Sarah?" my mom snapped me out of my trance.

I looked up to see my mom with her arm around Thalia, and Thalia smiled at me in her dress.

"You look great!" I smiled, meaning it. I probably would have said it anyway, but she _did_ look great.

The dress had undoubtedly been from Aunt Calli by the way it was made, and I was surprised that it suited Thalia, since it _was _Calli.

But she looked amazing.

The dress had come from Calli's time with Percy since it was so Greek.

It plunged low, but, since Thalia was so tall, it didn't matter. It was sort of a circle when it came to the neckline, and the black color offset Thalia's olive skin. It was simple as it almost to her feet, showing her heels though. The belt was a bunch of black ribbons, wrapped around her thin waist, and it distracted from the scars on her arms.

"Thanks, Sarah! And you're going to look great in that!" she pointed towards my dress hanging up.

I smiled.

Maybe this Thalia girl wasn't bad.

Maybe a little too strong.

But I liked her.

_**Annabeth:**_

I snuggled up closer to Percy and listened.

I could hear his heartbeat, and he could probably hear mine. I could hear the waves breaking outside, and I could hear the fan that Sarah had put on because it was so hot.

I waited to hear her breathing even, to hear her finally fall asleep.

I was about to fall asleep from waiting when Percy whispered something in my ear.

"She's asleep."

I nodded, and I closed my eyes tightly.

"Are you scared?"

"About the wedding?"

"It's two days away. _Already_. It feels like you just proposed yesterday," I whispered faintly.

"I know."

"Percy," I hesitated for a long time before finally finishing the sentence, "You can tell me the truth about how you feel. You don't have to lie to calm me down. I can handle the truth."

I desperately wanted to know that I wasn't the only one freaking out.

"I'm scared, Annabeth," he held me tighter as if to tell me that he wasn't saying he didn't love me.

"I am, too. I don't think I could handle losing you, and…" I trailed off, not wanting to bring up a baby.

"I know, Annabeth," he began to stroke my hair.

"I love you, Percy," I forced myself not to cry.

"I love you, too, Annabeth."

"Enough to handle being married to me? You know how I can be."

"Enough to handle being married to you, Annabeth," he smiled as he kissed the top of my head.

"I love you enough, too."

Percy smiled into my hair and tightened his grip even more on me, and I closed my eyes, about to fall asleep, when Percy spoke up again.

"Enough for Jason to lead the bachelor party tomorrow."

I looked up to him.

"_Jason_?"

"He elected himself in charge," Percy shrugged like it made a difference.

My bachelorette party wasn't much of a bachelorette party.

I had Thalia, an Artemis Hunger, for one thing. Then I had a fellow mom, Calli. Rachel, who had to remain pure like Thalia. And I had Hazel, who would be the picture in '_Antonym of Party Girl'_ in the dictionary.

And I would be subpicture in the _'Antonym of Party Girl'_

So, we were all going to the beach and sitting around with a few bottles of random alcohol and talking for most of the night.

I don't know what I expected for Percy. But I had assumed that our seven daughter would be having more wild fun with us by having the pillow fight with Sally, who was babysitting her tomorrow night and then flying her home the day after the wedding while Percy and I spent our honeymoon here.

"What are you guys going to do?" I almost laughed, though I still managed to be quiet enough not to wake Sarah.

"I'm too scared to ask," Percy laughed.

I smiled and closed my eyes for a while before opening them again.

"Alright, you can have Jason plan your bachelor party. But I get to pick up Sarah from Sally and have her sleep in here."

Percy stared at me for a while.

"I thought we agreed that we both couldn't have Sarah sleep with us, so neither should."

"We also agreed that Grover, who has basically been married since he was eighteen, was planning your bachelor party."

Percy stared at me for a long while, as if deciding if it was a good deal or not.

"Fine, but only because I'm too scared to tell Jason otherwise."

I smiled as I leaned down to kiss him.

"That's my Seaweed Brain."


	24. The Wedding

**Annabeth,**

I pulled my wet hair into a ponytail and looked at my cell phone for the time.

My bachelorette party had been more fun that I had thought, and it probably would have been more fun if there hadn't been the rule about me not running into Percy tonight. And Jason had called just about every fun place on the island.

But I had fun with my friends, and that was really all I cared about.

For last four hours, we had been having all sort of 'Pre-Wedding' fun that I would probably regret tomorrow morning, when the hangover set in.

But, aside from the partying with my closest friends, I was most excited to pick up Sarah tonight.

Tomorrow, I'd barely see her. I'd be picked apart for the wedding until I looked perfect, or as close to perfect as I could possibly get. The wedding was about two o'clock. After the wedding, we were all hanging around for a last hurrah together.

The next morning, they'd all be on a flight home, except for Apollo who wanted to hang around for the ladies some more. But everyone was else would leave. Rachel, Thalia, Nico, everyone. We spent a long time talking about what we should do with Sarah. We thought about keeping her here in Hawaii with us for the honeymoon. But Sally had talked us into getting alone time.

So, tomorrow morning, I had to make sure that Sarah was all packed, and I'd be dropping her stuff with Sally. Then, the day after that, Sarah' on a flight home to New York… without me.

_12:03_

I prayed that Sarah wouldn't already be asleep in Sally' room, and I hurried along with getting dressed.

As soon as I got in my room, I took a shower, and I had taken Calli's advice of taking my time. I dug into my hair to make sure all of the sand was out. I scrubbed at my skin to make sure it wouldn't be dry tomorrow. I washed away every trace of make-up to make sure it wouldn't linger tomorrow. And I took forever to get all of the glitter from Calli off me.

When I got dressed, I basically sprinted out of my room to three doors over, where Sally was staying.

We wouldn't be on this island long, Percy and I. We'd stay here for the day after we were married, but we'd be off to a smaller, more secluded island for the rest of our honeymoon.

I gently nocked on the door, and I mentally went over the rooms to make sure I had the right one.

_Calli and Thalia- 809_

_Nico and Jason- 810_

_Frank and Grover- 811_

_Rachel and Hazel- 812_

_My dad and Step-Mom- 818_

_Chiron- 921 (he was on the next floor since Percy was staying with him tonight)_

_Malcolm and Kate- 807_

_Mattie and Bobby- 902_

_Sally and Paul- 814_

This should be it.

And then the door opened.

"Annabeth," Sally smiled at me, and Sarah was quick to run to me.

I smiled as I knelt to the ground and hugged her tightly.

"There's my girl," I stroked Sarah's hair.

"Thanks for watching her for me, Sally," I smiled to Sally as I stood up and clasped Sarah's hand.

"Oh, she was a pleasure. Always is," Sally smiled at Sarah, and Sarah smiled her bubbly smile.

I had once been afraid that Sarah wouldn't fit in our family, that she had spent too much time in Westchester. But she fit in our Manhattan crowd with ease, and I couldn't be happier about that.

"You two better get some rest, big day tomorrow," Sally seemed excited about her son marrying me.

She had never liked Calli. From the stories I've heard, Calli always had to live up to the iconic Annabeth Chase the entire time that she was married to Percy.

In my family, it was the opposite. They never brought him up and hid almost all of the photos of him in the attic, except for some of the important ones like me graduating high school. If we had to talk about Percy, it was always kind of bad. He was always a way of feeling better about things.

Like a boyfriend cheats on me.

They'd say_ "Well at least he didn't do what Percy did."_

"See you tomorrow," I smiled at Sally, and Sarah began to tell me how much fun she had with her grandmother while we walked back to the room.

By the time that I had closed the door of our room behind me, she suddenly turned around and asked me what I had been doing.

I stuttered for a moment before finally coming up with an edited version that would satisfy Sarah.

"Oh that sounds fun," Sarah shrugged like she had more fun, and she slid into bed.

_**XXXXXXXXX**_

"Mommy," something poked my cheek.

I peered my eyes open and saw Sarah standing infront of my bed, with a clock reading two am behind her.

"Can I sleep with you?"

As if to answer, I moved over in the bed to make room for Sarah, and she slid right in, curling up around me.

I was about to fall asleep to the sound of her little heartbeat when she spoke up again.

"Are you going to get a divorce?"

Now this woke me up.

"What?"

"Are you and Daddy going to get a divorce?" Sarah peered up at me, her grey eyes wide.

"Why would you ask that, Sarah?"

"Because Daddy already got divorced. From Aunt Calli. I overheard Mummy and Dad-"

Sarah couldn't make an 'O' sound when she was little. So, she called Jill Mummy.

"talk about divorce a few times. Is that what married people do? Get married then get divorced?"

I stared down at Sarah in disbelieve.

_Crap_.

"No, Sarah. Of course not!" I tried, "Your daddy and I love each other."

"Calli and Daddy loved each other. But then they didn't anymore.

_Crap. Again._

"Sometimes that happens," I admitted, thinking of how Sally had moved on from Poseidon, "But that's not going to happen to your dad and me. I promise, Sarah," I held out my pinky finger.

Sarah smiled wide as she shook my pinky, and she snuggled back around me to go to sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Wedding<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Annabeth,<strong>

Had I ever looked so beautiful?

Was it even possible?

Sure, it had taken forever to look this great, but they made it look effortless.

Aphrodite had always loved my relationship with Percy, a little too much. So, I guess to make up for making our lives a Soap Opera, she had sent her personal immortal make-up artist to work on me and my wedding party. It was amazing how different we all looked but yet the same, like they were getting past all of the ugly parts and finding the beauty underneath.

They had erased Thalia's scars, but only for a short time because she wanted them back when she went back to the hunt. They had shaped up her black hair, getting rid of the weird choppy parts that seemed impossible to fix. And they even talked her into waxing, though she didn't understand why you should want to get rid of body hair (Which the make-up artists freaked out about)

They made Hazel's coffee-colored skin glow, and they managed her wild black curls to a silky up-do. And as the proof that they really were amazing, they had even talked her into wearing diamonds in her hair, fake diamonds, but she detested diamonds period thanks to her…_interesting_ power.

They had made Calli's hangover symptoms, internal and external, disappear with a DR. Pepper and some moisturizer. They even managed to get all of the over-the-top glitter off of Calli, which could have taken days with anyone else.

Rachel had the most noticeable change. Before she had come in here, she her long red hair decked out in different colors here in there. She had almost no make-up, except for some red lipstick. She wore jeans that were covered in paint from how she taught art classes for under privileged children. And she had looked nothing like she did now.

Her hair was now silky and smooth, and only ruby red. Her green eyes shone out in the dark make-up, which brought attention to her cheekbones and thick lips. Her lips were a lighter red, and she wore her flowy black dress that she had decided on for her bridesmaids dress.

"I think I'm going to keep this color this time," Rachel smiled, placing her arm on my shoulder as she ran a hand through her silky red hair, "It'll make me seem serious but awesome when I open the charity."

"Good," I smiled. Since we were nineteen, she had changed her hair color every year.

Last year, it was mahogany brown.

The year before that was a platinum blonde.

And the year before that she had black hair with emerald green tips to match her eyes.

"Ready to get in your dress?" Rachel smiled at me, and I glanced back at the dress bag waiting in the corner for it's bride.

"I think so."

_**XXXXX**_

I couldn't help but stare at myself in the mirror.

My long blonde hair was silky, and they had somehow found a way to control my curls. They had my hair tumbling down my back like I had only seen Aphrodite do. My hair was parted to the side, and the other side of my hair was being kept up by a diamond clip that was a gift from my mother.

And the dress.

Oh the dress.

It made me feel like a goddess, and I was loving every minute of it.

The top of the dress had a sort of strap that went across my chest and draped down my back. The front wrapped around me like I had seen my mother's Olympus gown do, and part of the front draped across the strait bottom. It had a bit of a train, but not too much where it would get messed up in the sand.

_**(I can't really describe the dress well. So, you'll probably need to look at the link on my profile)**_

I ran a hand over my dress and smiled at it.

"It's almost time, people!"

**Percy,**

I smiled as Annabeth continued to walk towards me.

She was so beautiful.

In my opinion, she was a much better view than the cliff behind me.

Annabeth smiled at me, and I focused on her, instead of her brothers who kept glaring at me like I was Hades himself.

I felt all of the wedding jitters slip away as I looked at Annabeth.

Right then, I could see our life together. Our life with Sarah, watching her grow up, and our life with the possible extra child that I could probably talk Annabeth into. Even if not, I couldn't imagine being happier than being with Annabeth.

As Annabeth got to the end of the aisle, her father kissed her cheek and left to go back to his seat.

My heart began to beat faster as Annabeth took the next two steps to come stand exactly in front of me.

The service went fast, which I'm sure Annabeth had made sure of.

And I was nervous as I exchanged my vows, but I managed to get them out none the less.

"When you're a little girl," Annabeth began, "You imagine your husband. You imagine him to be perfect really. Handsome. Funny. Brave. Smart. Everything admirable. But he doesn't have a face, just all of those qualities."

I smiled, though I kind of worried where this was going after the _"Smart_" part.

"When I met Percy, I thought that I had already found that perfect guy to be the perfect husband, and I felt awful when I found out that he wasn't so perfect after all."

Everyone, having known the story of Luke, smiled with that.

"After that, I have up on the idea of a perfect husband, thinking it was just something you imagine when you're a kid. But then one day, I just suddenly looked at Percy, and I saw that he was the face of the husband I dreamed of."

Everyone smiled, I'm pretty sure I even saw Apollo smile, though he thought getting married was "_giving in_".

Why he had offered to do our wedding, I'll never know.

"And every day since, that's become more and more unclear until we ended up here."

The wedding continued, but that was the part I remembered most.

And then finally it came to the part that we both had been waiting for.

"I do."

Apollo asked Annabeth, and I suddenly felt worry set over me.

What if she said no?

What would I do without her?

"I do."

"You may kiss the bride!"


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

_**Annabeth,**_

I was folding the clothes to be put in my suitcase for the flight back to New York, which was only in a few hours now, when someone's arms wrapped around my waist.

"Percy, I have to pack."

"Pack later," he kissed my neck.

"I said that last time. And now is later. Our flight leaves soon," I laughed without meaning to, and Percy simply responded by continuing to kiss my neck.

It took all of my will power not to melt into him.

"The ferry leaves soon, and, if we miss it, we miss our flight. Now, let me pack, Percy."

"So we miss our flight," Percy shrugged and continued to kiss me.

"And we miss Sarah."

Percy thought this over.

"Fine," Percy finally caved, and he kissed my neck one more time before going back to make sure that his bags had been completely packed since he hadn't touched the bag since we got here.

I unpacked it.

And I packed it again.

"Ready to see Sarah when we get home?" I asked.

The honeymoon was fun, but I missed my daughter.

And it only got worse when Percy also started missing her.

He started bringing her up all the time.

It's a beautiful morning. So, he asks if we called Sarah the night before.

We're looking out at a beautiful view. So, he says that Sarah would love it, and I have to admit that she would.

We go on an amazing tour of the small island where we're staying. And he says that Sarah would love some certain fact.

After a while, I had to ban him from bringing up our seven year old daughter.

"Ecstatic," Percy turned to smile at me, "You've got the gift, right?"

"Packed and ready for Sarah to open."

Percy smiled again and went back to double checking his bag.

"Sarah's great."

"I know. We couldn't ask for a better daughter," I smiled as I thought about my daughter.

I wasn't lying about how great it was.

Maybe it _was _the bias that comes with me being Sarah's mother, but I do think she is the greatest child I could ever have. She was kind. She was smart. And she was the cutest little thing I had ever seen.

"What do you think about having another one?"

I turned around to look at him.

"Another what?"

But I knew what he was talking about.

"Another daughter, or son maybe," Percy smiled as he shrugged, and I tried to think of an answer.

I had been thinking about this for a long time now.

I had weighed my options and come up with the Pros and Cons.

Pros- Another child to love, a sibling for Sarah, and it would make Percy so happy.

Cons- Both of us have busy jobs, we're already busy taking care of Sarah, she might resent the new baby because we kept it and not her, and I may not be able to handle another pregnancy.

The Cons easily outweighed the Pros.

But that wouldn't matter if I really wanted a baby.

Did I?

I don't know.

Would it be fair to Sarah to raise a child when we didn't really raise her?

I don't know that either.

I should have let Percy down easy, explained why I didn't think having a child would be a good idea.

But I couldn't get myself to do it.

Suddenly, my watch beeped.

_Thank gods!_

"Oh, we're going to be late! We'll miss the ferry!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Percy,<strong>_

Annabeth looked through _Sky Mall_, almost falling asleep on my shoulder.

We had about three hours left of the ten hour flight.

That wouldn't be that bad if I wasn't still thinking about the conversation we had never gotten to finish at the hotel, the one that she kept avoiding now. I wasn't even sure I needed an answer now.

Of course, I'd still want one, but, considering she had repeatedly made an effort _not_ to answer, I could tell I'd probably stay father of one for the rest of my life. And that face she made when I asked, like pure panic setting over her like a cold December night in New York.

That was also her "Pros and Cons" face that I had way too many times.

And I knew that the cons easily outweighed pros logistically.

But emotionally, I had no idea.

Annabeth huffed as she put _Sky Mall_ away and nuzzled closer to me.

"How much longer do we have, Perce?"

"About three hours," I kissed the top of her head, and she sighed.

"I guess we have to talk about it, huh?"

"About what?" I asked hopefully.

"A baby."

I mentally smiled that I would finally get my answer.

I nodded, and Annabeth sighed again.

"Why don't you want another child?"

"I never said that."

"Exactly. You've dodged it for the last seven hours," I laughed.

Annabeth closed her eyes tightly.

"I miss when you used Seaweed Brain logic that I could break away."

I laughed and brushed some hair of her grey eyes.

"So, Annie, do you want to have a baby? Or is Sarah going to be our only one?" I asked, trying to be nice about it though I was starting to feel sick as I worried about her reaction.

Annabeth hesitated, closing her eyes in thought.

"I don't know, Percy."

_I don't know._

I don't_ know_?

I had to admit that I was disappointed, but I tried not to act like it.

Annabeth seemed so upset about it, like she hated that she just couldn't answer. If anything, I kind of felt bad for asking her now. She had obviously been thinking about it and felt guilty that she couldn't answer as easily as I could.

Had I made it_ that_ obvious that I wanted a child?

"You don't know?"

"I don't know. I mean, I should want to say no. It doesn't make any sense to have a kid right now. With the age difference with Sarah and our busy lives, we couldn't handle having another kid," Annabeth began, but she trailed off.

"But…"

"But…" Annabeth smiled weakly, "I just can't say it."

"So, how am I supposed to take this, Wise Girl?" I smiled down at her.

"You are supposed to take this as not a no."

"But not a yes."

"How about for a while," Annabeth looked up at me, "we focus on the one we already have?"

I smiled down at her, and I decided to take this as how she put it.

Not that she hadn't told me yes.

But that she hadn't told me no.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Annabeth,<strong>_

"_Beep. Beep. Beep."_

I was awoken by being startled.

_What was that?_

… Crap.

The alarm clock.

How long had it been since I had last heard that alarm clock?

Hmm… 10 days?

Maybe more.

I hadn't heard any alarm clock since the morning I got up to make sure I didn't sleep past my flight to California.

Ever since then, I hadn't needed one. Either I was woken up by someone or I was given the wonderful of sleep.

It was usually the first.

Why was the alarm clock going off now?

I had been on my honeymoon for a week with Percy, and we both had another three days off to get settled into live back in New York. And after the long flight from Hawaii to JFK and the cab ride that seemed to take even _longer _last night, I needed to use all seventy-two of those hour sleeping.

…..School!

Crap.

It was Monday, and Sarah had to go to school.

My eyes fluttered open immediately, and I was about to tell Percy to wake up since we had agreed that he was taking her to go school when I saw it.

Percy had his arm wrapped around me, setting his hand protectively over mine. And Sarah was nestled in between the two of us. With her black curls spilling everywhere, she used Percy's arm as a pillow, and she was comfortably snuggling around both of us. And Percy held us close, as if he worried he would awake and we wouldn't be there.

I couldn't move.

I knew that I needed to wake them up and remind them of the day it was.

But I couldn't do it.

Finally, the constant beeping awoke our daughter, who squinted at me with the morning light.

"Is time for school already?" Sarah complained.

"I think you suddenly came up with a virus," I smiled as I held my hand to her forehead, "With a high fever. And I'm going to have to tell the school that you just can't come today."

Sarah smiled at me, and she nuzzled back between me and Percy.

As I hit the alarm clock, effectively turning off the annoying machine, I tried to go back to sleep.

But I couldn't help but focus on one thing.

_I know now._

_**XXXXXX**_

"Hmm, let's see if we can find something to eat here," Percy smiled as I set the seven year old that I had been carrying down on the countertop.

"Orange juice!" Sarah smiled.

"And we have Orange Juice!" Percy smiled as he brought a carton out of the refrigerator and closed the door behind him, "And absolutely nothing else."

Sarah pouted as Percy poured her a glass of orange juice, but her face quickly lit up when he handed it to her.

What is it with her and orange juice?

"I guess I should go grocery shopping."

Percy usually trusted me to go grocery shopping when he was able to give me a list of things we needed, and it wouldn't be too bad if I picked up the wrong thing. But it was obvious that he didn't trust the worst cook in the house to stock up again.

Should I be happy or insulted?

"Or we can do that tomorrow. How about pizza?"

"Pizza!"

I looked to Percy, and he smiled as he nodded.

"Pizza it is," he shook his head and went to get the phone.

With Sarah chiming in every few seconds, we finally agreed on two pizzas.

A deep dish pepperoni and beef- me.

A Hawaiian pizza with extra pineapple- Sarah and Percy.

And Sarah talked me into voting with her on the cinnamon sticks if she'd vote for the breadsticks I wanted.

Sarah and I couldn't help but watch Percy as he ordered to make sure that he didn't add in the thin crust anchovies pizza that we had vetoed without a hint of regret. When we were satisfied that he had kept to our agreement, Sarah ran to watch cartoons, and I pulled myself onto the counter, waiting to talk to Percy.

How do I put this?

I was trying to plan my words when Percy finally hung up the phone and looked to me.

"What was up with you and little kiddo sticking around?"

"We didn't trust you to not get the fish pizza."

"I probably would have ditched the breadsticks than gotten the pizza," Percy smiled.

"You wouldn't dare."

"And why not?"

"We just got back from our honeymoon. And you want to hold onto the honeymoon phase as long as you can before the first big fight."

"I do?"

"You do."

"Apparently I do."

I smiled at Percy, and I knew that now was as good as ever.

But that didn't get rid of the nerves.

"Uh, Percy, can we talk?" I bit my lip.

Percy's eyes knit in confusion and came to stand directly in front of me, and that meant yes in Percy-Talk.

"I was thinking about what we were talking about yesterday."

Percy continued to stare at me.

I leaned in closer to whisper at him, "About _a baby_."

Percy nodded for me to continue.

I said "Can we talk?", not "Can we _nod_?"

"Well, I… I think I… _know_ now."

"You _know now_?"

Why can't he get this through his Seaweed Brain head already?

"I think I _know now."_

It hit Percy like a freight train.

"You know now," Percy was too shocked to know if he didn't to be scared or hopeful.

"Yeah, I do," I pushed my hair behind my ear.

"And? How do you feel about it? Another child? Or just Sarah?" Percy talked fast as he stroked my face, and I still couldn't seem to find the words for what I wanted to tell him.

"Percy…I… Well, I've decided that I…" I trailed off again, "Percy, I've decided that I want a baby."

Percy stared at me in disbelieve.

"You-you want a baby?"

Had I ever seen Percy smile so wide as that moment?

"Yeah, I do," my smile seemed to mimic his as I told him again.

"But what about all that you said? About it not being fair to Sarah?"

"She'd love a sibling!" I smiled.

"What about the age difference?"

"Well, we should start right away then."

"About how your body may not be able to take the pregnancy?"

"We'll see then!"

"And our jobs?"

"After everything we've been through, I'm convinced we can handle anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Percy, are you trying to talk me _out_ of this?" I crossed my arms.

"No, no, _no_, I just want to make sure that this is serious and that you've thought it all through before I let myself get excited."

"I've thought it all through, Perce. I'm a daughter of Athena, remember?"

"You're sure? You really want to have a baby?"

"I'm sure," I smiled.

"We're going to have a baby!" Percy smiled as he leaned into kiss me.


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

_**Annabeth:**_

"So, why aren't you pregnant yet, Mommy?" Sarah looked up from her cereal, and I stared at her.

It had been two months since I had told Percy that I wanted to have another baby, and Sarah and Percy had undoubtedly been the happiest people in the world that day. I was excited and all, but their happiness blew me out of the water. It was like they were _both_ seven and it was Christmas morning.

That day was great.

But the two months were I didn't get pregnant have been the opposite.

When I didn't want to get pregnant, I got pregnant immediately.

But, as soon I _want_ to get pregnant, I can't.

"Well, Sarah, sometimes it takes a while," I ate a slice of toast.

Sarah continued to stare at me as if she was wondering if I had been lying when I said I'd have another baby.

Even I sometimes wondered if I was subconsciously stopping the pregnancy. I mean, it could be possible, right? You could tell your body not to get pregnant, and I'm so stubborn that I'd probably listen. I could easily be doing this all.

But I _wasn't!_

I _wanted_ a baby. Actually, a _boy_ if it was at all possible.

But I'd love to have a baby girl, too.

I just have always thought I'd be good with raising a boy.

"Hey, Sarah, time for school," I tried to break the growing awkward silence.

_**XXXXX**_

I checked my cell phone for the time.

_8:15_

I had thirty minutes until my check-up on Olympus.

So, I pushed past the growing crowd of parents taking a cab to get to work from their kid's school.

It was a beautiful day with the sun shining so brightly that I realized that Apollo was finally having his first morning in decades without a hangover. The trees were nice and green, and the lush grass was calling out for me to skip the concrete and walk through the park to the Empire State building, which wasn't far from here.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes through the park. Maybe longer.

I looked both ways before trying to sprint across the street and into the park, but it was more of a fast-paced walk in my high heels.

I slowed my pace down to accommodate my platform heels, which felt like stilts today.

But it didn't matter.

Walking through the park to Olympus made me feel like a teenager again.

How could I be _thirty _now?

My thirtieth birthday had come and gone almost a month ago, and it felt weird to be thirty.

Actually, it _didn't._ And that _was_ the weird part.

My over-thirty friends had painted a grey picture of life after thirty. They had made it sound like life would be hell. Filled with driving kids to soccer practice and having no time for yourself.

But I had _already_ been doing that since Sarah came to life with me.

I mentally going over my reflection from how I had looked this morning, and I compared it to how I had looked when I was sixteen.

I wanted to be normal, I really did.

I wanted to hate my wrinkles. I wanted to despise my scars and hate the eternal baby weight on my back that I just seemed to never be able to get rid of.

But I felt proud about the wrinkles because I had defied the Demigod expectancies and lived to earn them. I was happy because I had gotten to live with scars instead of die being perfect. And I was fine with the baby weight because I had gotten Sarah from that weight.

I looked back to my cell phone to check the time again.

Malcolm was always so mad when I was late.

With other things, I found it annoyed. But I didn't blame him when it came to Olympus.

Maybe that was because I had something to prove to Olympus.

I had to prove that I wasn't just some half-human, but that I was half-god.

And the gods could never seem to accept that with anyone, even if they had been the one to conceive the child. They would always see their human parts, not the godly inheritance. Just the human problems. Never the godly advantages.

Even Athena was like that sometimes.

Like my latest _human_ problem.

Gods don't plan on having children.

Especially with _Seaweed Brains._

On my first day back at work after the wedding, my mother came to visit me. She had smiled her perfectly white smile as she hugged me and congratulated me on my wedding and on landing t big contract only on my first day. I hadn't told anyone about wanting to have a baby except for Malcolm. And I was nervous about telling my mother. But I knew that Aphrodite would tell her if I didn't, and I couldn't have _that_ again.

And, let me tell you, watching a _goddess_ have a panic attack is one of the scariest things you can see in this lifetime.

It had taken my mother a month and a half to speak to me again, and that was because Zeus forced her to.

We had made up, I guess.

But I knew she still didn't want to add another grandchild to her family.

And I still wanted a baby.

I ruffled my hair, and I was about to take off my heels and walk in the grass when I noticed someone standing by a tree.

I gasped.

Suddenly, I realized why I was so scared of Renee.

She looked _exactly_ like Hera!

Of course, Hera was prettier.

Hera's dark brown hair was thicker and silkier. Her high cheekbones were more intimidating. Hera's nose was more Roman. Her brown eyes were more velvety, and they made you want to cower behind a tree or something. Her body was leaner, and her curves more pronounced. And her legs were longer.

But they strangely dressed mostly the same.

I had seen Renee wear flowing Greek robes, and, as I stood there, I knew that I had seen the same expensive dress on Renee when I had last seen her.

I hurried my walk, and suddenly my heels no longer posed a challenge.

I was too focused on getting away from Hera to think of my platform heels.

"Annabeth."

I gasped as someone's hand grabbed my arm and stopped me.

I almost fell to the ground as my knees went weaker with shock, but I managed myself up right.

"Oh, Hera," I turned around to look at her, and I felt my stomach churn as I noticed how serious her chocolate brown eyes were, "How are you?"

I brushed my hair behind my ear.

"Annabeth," Hera began, letting go of my arm, "I think we need to talk."

I froze.

"_Talk_?"

"Talk."

_**Annabeth,**_

_I held Percy's hand and looked towards the cliff we stood on._

_But the cliff was nothing to the monsters running after us._

_I knew that we had to jump, and Percy kept telling me that it would be fine if we jumped down._

_But he didn't _know_. _I _didn't know. _

_There was a small lake at the bottom, and that was why Percy thought we could live. But I was the smart one here. I knew that the fall was enough to kill us, and I wasn't sure that we would even fall the right way to get to the lake instead of landing on a bunch of sharp rocks._

_Zeus had never liked us._

_And this was his domain, not Percy's._

_Wouldn't Zeus love to kill us this way? Have him survive all that he's been through but then die by falling a few feet away from the lake that would have saved his life?_

"_Annabeth, it's either die with the monsters or take a chance on living!" Percy yelled in the calamity._

"_I love you, Percy," tears fell down my eyes, and it hurt me to say that. But I had to say it because I didn't want to die without saying it._

"_I love, you, too, Annabeth," he squeezed my hand, "No matter what. I love you."_

_I nodded and squeezed his hand._

"_On the count of three," I felt my body go weak._

"_Alright," Percy began to count down, but he stopped before three, "If we live, I promise not to use me being right in a fight."_

_I laughed._

"_Three."_

_I held onto his hand tightly as we jumped over the edge._

My feet felt like lead as I walked through the lobby.

I still hated Hera.

But we had made emends. Or, at least, she had taken claim to me when I had gotten married and raised my daughter, Sarah. She had to. It was Hera's godly duty.

But I had never felt such hate for Hera as I did this minute.

How could she do this to me?

She said it was already done, that there was nothing she could do about it. She claimed that, even though she had made it that way, she couldn't take it back. It had already taken effect, and not even Zeus himself could fix it now.

But I had trouble believing the goddess now.

After everything she had done to me.

I pressed the elevator button, and the doors shot open.

Any other day, I would have loved this. But it seemed petty now.

I pressed my floor, and the elevator eased up floor after floor.

As I got closer to my floor, I kicked off my high heels and picked them up.

_Ding._

The door clicked open.

I thought of my day.

It had started out fine.

I ate breakfast with Sarah.

I dropped her off at school.

I took the beautiful day to my advantage and walked through the park.

The park. Oh that damn park.

It had easily earned its way into the list of places that I hate the most.

I had been happy to have to go to Olympus. I had gotten to focus myself into work instead of my life. And I had even skipped lunch with Malcolm and went into the office. I had stayed for overtime, basically begging everyone for something to do.

But, when the clock struck eight thirty, I had nothing.

And I was forced to leave my work and come back to earth.

I fished around my purse for my keys, and I shoved in in the lock.

I managed what little strength I could to force the door open.

I threw my purse and shoes down on by the door, and I came into the living room.

"Mommy!"

I smiled and knelt to the ground as the seven year old girl ran to hug me.

"Hey, Sarah, shouldn't you be in bed by now?"

"I talked Daddy into letting me stay up until you got home," Sarah smiled her bubbly smile, "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Cutie," I pushed some hair out of her eyes, "I just had to do some work."

Sarah nodded like she understood, but I could tell that she wished that I had been home.

"But I promise that I'll be picking you up from school early tomorrow. We're going to hang out all day," I smiled at Sarah.

Sarah's smile widened, and she was about to respond when someone interrupted her.

"Alright, Mommy's home now. It's time for bed, Sarah."

Sarah, not leaving my grasp, looked to her father, who was cleaning up an orange juice spill from the kitchen countertop.

My heart turned to lead.

"Buh?"

"Bed."

Sarah pouted.

"Daddy's right," I kissed the top of Sarah's head, "You've got to get to bed for school, Sarah."

"Alright," Sarah told me as she finally let go of me and stomped up the stairs.

"I'll come tuck you in later, Sarah," Percy told her, but I couldn't make out what Sarah grumbled under her breath.

After the door slammed, I weakly stood up and got rid of the strong mask I had put on for Sarah's sake.

"You okay, Annie?" Percy left the kitchen, stain and all, and he came to stroke my cheek.

I set my hand on top of his, and let a stray tear fall as I shook my head.

But after that tear fell, I couldn't hold anymore back.

Percy wrapped his strong arms around me, and he rubbed my back, trying to soothe me.

"It's alright, Annabeth. Anything that happened. It's alright," he smiled as he kissed the top of my head.

But I shook my head again, though I could barely do so with my head nestled in his neck.

"Tell me what happened, Annabeth."

So, I did.

I told him everything.

Starting with my morning.

And ending with the reason I was crying.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I've had this chapter planned for a long time, and I just couldnt help but continue their soap opera life.<em>**

**_Anyway, what has Hera done?_**

**_Find out next time!_**


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

_**Annabeth:**_

I nervously watched the clock, as seconds turned into minutes when they ticked away.

I felt uncomfortable sitting on the wax paper, waiting for my doctor to come back in.

I didn't know why I had come today. I knew what I'd be told. Hera had made that part _abundantly _clear. I guess it just still hadn't set in yet, and I was worrying that it never would. Percy understood, and Sarah would probably when I picked her up from school today and told her.

But it didn't feel _real_ to me.

Percy had told me that me what I had told him years ago.

That a lot of people out there adopt. That there are plenty of great children out there, just waiting for a loving family to accept them into their hearts and homes.

He was right. It had worked out for Sarah and her adopted parents. They might not of _liked_ each other, but they _did_ love each other. And I loved children, pretty much _all_ children. It didn't have to be mine. And why would I want to go through another pregnancy?

But I did want to go through _another_ pregnancy. I wanted to have my own child.

And I knew Percy didn't really want to adopt either.

He wanted his own child. He wanted to feel the baby kick, and he wanted to see the resemblance between him and his child. He wanted to be able smile and say that the child took on _too_ many characteristics from him. Percy wanted a new _real_ Jackson.

If only I had agreed before now. If we had started trying for a child before I turned thirty. Or if we had just conceived a month ago!

Then I wouldn't be here.

I almost cried as I stared down at my stomach, but I pulled it together and continued to stare at the clock.

I was trying to imagine what the doctor would say when the door opened.

Hera hadn't been specific about what they'd say. She just told me the message underneath.

I glanced at my doctor, and I knit my eyebrows in confusion.

Why was she smiling?

"Annabeth, I have some good news."

_**XXXXX**_

I quickly typed in the numbers I had memorized into my cell phone.

I mashed the send button and waited for someone to answer.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

"Oh come on! Answer!" I tapped my foot impatiently.

_Ring._

_Ruh-_

"Hey, Annabeth. Have you picked up Sarah from school yet?"

"No," I shook my head as I sat down on a nearby bench of the park.

"Oh, what is it then?"

I smiled so wide that it almost hurt.

"I just got back from the doctor-"

"Oh, are you okay?" Percy interrupted, "I know that must of hurt."

"Percy-"

"I know, I know, Annabeth. It'll be alright though-"

"Percy, there's something I need to tell you!"

"What?"

I paused, letting myself enjoy the glorious moment.

"I'm pregnant, Percy."

I could hear a _thud_, which sounded like Percy had dropped the phone.

But, it didn't take long until there was another rustle, and Percy was back on the line.

"But how?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sure it's not a false positive?"

"I thought that, too! I made the doctor test me three more times. And I even bought three more tests and took them after I got out! And six out of seven were positive!" I smiled even more as I looked down at my stomach, "I'm pregnant, Percy."

"I-I…" Percy trailed off.

"I'm going to try and see if I can see Hera tomorrow. See if it's really true."

"I don't want to get excited until we _know_, okay?"

I pushed my hair behind my ear.

"I know, Perce. I just wanted to tell you, in case it was true."

As if on cue, I saw the same little devil goddess I had seen yesterday.

"I'll call you back, Percy," I hung up the phone before he could object, and I shoved my cell phone into my purse.

I tried to be fast with my walk, even though my heels were so high. But it was much faster than the run I had tried to manage yesterday when I was running away from this evil goddess.

Hera didn't smile when she saw me. But she didn't frown either.

She just stared as I approached her and crossed her arms.

"Hello, Annabeth."

"Lady Hera," I bowed, and I glared at her as I looked up.

Hera smiled at me, her cruel smile.

"I thought you said that you couldn't lift the curse."

"_I can't_."

"So, I'm not pregnant?"

But Hera's smile turned into the motherly smile which only made sense because she was the goddess of mothers.

"You are, Annabeth."

I stared at her.

"But _how_?"

"You're going to get a call tomorrow," she pointed towards my purse, where my phone was hidden in a pocket, "and the doctor is going to tell you that you are six weeks along. And your birthday was _five weeks ago."_

_Oh._

_My._

_Gods._

"The baby should be fine. Your body isn't very strong. But you should be able to carry it."

My eyes continued to water, and I held my stomach tightly.

"Congratulations, Annabeth."

_**Percy,**_

I continued to watch the game, though I wasn't very interested in it.

But I had to find something-_anything_- to distract me from Annabeth's call earlier today.

Pregnant.

It was impossible.

Hera herself had told us that Annabeth and I were through with our childbearing days.

And never mind the odds of six to one that Annabeth was pregnant.

Hera made me one hundred percent shore that Annabeth wasn't pregnant.

But I wanted her to be. I wanted us to have another child.

A little girl preferably, but I'd love to have a son anyway.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

I looked that way just as a little girl climbed on the couch and hugged me tightly.

"I saw this pretty woman today!" Sarah began.

I knit my eyebrows in confusion.

"And she told me that I was going to be a big sister? Mommy says it's true!" Sarah hugged my neck again, and I pushed her wild curls out of my eyes to see Annabeth, who had snuck in after Sarah had attacked me with a hug.

"Did she?"

"Hey, Sarah," Annabeth tried to seem upbeat, "Can I talk to Daddy alone for a minute?"

Sarah shrugged and went up the stairs, and I waited until I knew that Sarah was in her room before I began.

"You told her?"

"Percy-" Annabeth began.

"You can't be pregnant, Annabeth!" I whisper-hissed, "Why are you getting Sarah excited for something that c_an't _happen?"

"But I _am_ pregnant!" she whisper-yelled.

"Hera said-"

"Hera said that I couldn't conceive _after_ I turned thirty. That was five weeks ago," Annabeth poked her stomach, "This happened _six_ weeks ago."

I continued to stare.

"The goddess herself told me that the doctor was right," Annabeth pointed to the sky.

"So, you mean…" I couldn't find the words to finish it.

"I mean, you're going to be a dad again."

I was about to respond when I blacked out.


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

_**Annabeth,**_

I powered off my cell phone and shoved it in my pocket.

It had been cute and sweet when Percy started babying me when he found out that I was pregnant. But it had taken no time at all until I found it annoying. Everyone had caught on, even my seven year old daughter Sarah. Everyone except for Percy.

Which is why my phone "died" every time I went to the drug store.

I love Percy. I really do. But I need some sort of time where I can do things on my own without someone saying that I can't do something because I'm pregnant.

It's not even the _normal _things he outlaws.

Drinking. Heavy lifting. Smoking.

That stuff makes sense!

But telling me that I shouldn't stay up after midnight is getting on my nerves.

Luckily, Percy had learned to calm down about rules. But he still kept asking almost every two minutes if I was okay, how I was feeling, and if I needed help with anything.

I understand that he's still thinking about what Hera said.

About my body not being strong. And about how I had been completely strong when I was first pregnant and still had some problems with Sarah.

I thought about it, too.

Especially with Sarah's birthday coming up.

It makes me worry that this new baby will never have an eighth birthday, or even a _first _birthday.

I pushed away my thoughts and checked out of the drug store with the candy I wanted, the vitamins I needed, and the coke that Percy didn't approve of.

As I left, I couldn't help but glance at the reflection of my growing stomach.

How far along had the doctor said I was?

10 weeks?

That was two weeks ago.

So, I'm already 12 weeks along?

It feels like yesterday that I confronted the evil goddess of fertility and found that I had just outsmarted a goddess.

I was surprised by how happy Hera was about my pregnancy. Whether she really was happy for me or she was happy that I would have to my first sleepless nights with a newborn, I was accepting that she was happy for me.

I had enough disappointment.

My mother had taken a lot to finally be happy for my new pregnancy, something that had only happened two days ago. I could have married Poseidon when he stood up against my mother declared how ecstatic he was to be adding another grandchild to his family. And I was lucky that the other gods, except for Aphrodite of course, had stopped being interested in me and didn't care about my pregnancy.

My family had already known about us trying, all except for my brothers.

But one brother was on a different continent and the other was on another coast.

So, by the time that I would next see the twins, their anger to Percy for getting their older sister pregnant again would have dulled.

When I had left the drug store, I untwisted the coke, and I was walking towards the subway when I saw a certain green friend walking through the crowd on the sidewalk.

"Juniper?" I stopped in the middle of sidewalk, and the green girl stopped to stare at me.

"Annabeth," the thin little girl ran to hug me.

I had lost touch with Juniper and Grover when I had broken up with Percy all those years ago.

When we split up, Percy got custody of them. And I got custody of Rachel.

When Percy and I had gotten back together, one of the best things to come was the fact that we no longer had to split up our childhood friends.

With people shoving around us, I led Juniper to a nearby park, which was my favorite since I had found out that I was pregnant there.

When the crowds disappeared, I hugged Juniper again.

"What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't leave camp?"

Juniper poked her stomach.

"The extra Grover blood in me," she shrugged, "let me leave Camp. After Tyler, I could leave a short distance. But with new baby here, I can at least go into the city?"

"Have you already found out if it's a boy or girl?"

"Last week. I thought Grover called you."

"He probably called Percy, but he didn't tell me," I shrugged.

"Well, I wanted to tell you in person anyway," Juniper laid her hand on her stomach, "We're having a girl! We're going to name her Willow."

I smiled at her, and I tried to imagine Grover with a daughter.

And it was easy picture to paint.

"Congratulations!"

"What about you? What are you going to name your little munchkin?" Juniper poked my stomach.

"I don't know. I was thinking about naming my son Theseus or something Greek like that. But Percy will barely talk about it because he swears that we'll be having a girl, not a boy."

"Sounds like Percy," Juniper laughed.

_**Percy,**_

I tried to smile at the client across from me, but I wanted to strangle them.

My days had been slow in the office until my wife got pregnant. As if they had sensed that, everyone suddenly decided that they needed new surfboards. Usually, I could push it off to someone else. But, when _Ron Jon_ suddenly decided that they wanted to get a new boutique company so that no one else could have the same boards, I _had_ to be here.

But, when Gloria from Ron Jon decided that today was the day to see me, I was in no place to argue.

Annabeth said it was fine, but I didn't think it was fine.

I had been there for the first sonogram.

But that was two sonograms ago. And I had planned to be there for her.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Jackson," Gloria shook my hand.

"Amazing to meet you, Ms. Orla. And I hope to be working with you in the future."

Gloria smiled at me one last time, and she smiled even wider at a picture to my right of me surfing when I was a teenager. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't happy to see her go. When I could no longer see her though the glass door, I collapsed to my desk chair.

I ran my fingers through my hair, and I pulled my desk drawer open and looked at the sonogram.

I was staring at the first picture of my soon-to-be-born child when the ringing phone broke me out of my trance.

I picked up the phone.

"Perseus Jackson, _Rift Raft Boards_."

"Hey, just got out of the doctor."

_Annabeth_.

"Hey, how'd it go, Annie?" I smiled as I closed my desk drawer, keeping out the sonogram.

"Good, I'm doing great. Everything's fine. I have about a month and a half until I find out if it's a boy or a girl, and I still feel like it's going to be a boy."

"I swear it's going to be a girl."

"But you don't know that, Percy!" she tried not to laugh, "And we need boy names in case."

"If it's a boy, we'll pick out a name then."

"But why not now? This is our only chance to be the crazy pregnant couple that goes crazy for their baby!"

"I thought you wanted me to _stop_ being overprotective."

"I do. Of _me_. But I'm giving you permission to baby proof, and pick out a million names, and do all that stuff. Not stop me from drinking coke."

"Did you bring it up to the doctor? You're supposed to not have caffeine."

"I forgot," Annabeth's voice got small like a little girl who was scared of her father finding out she missed bedtime.

"You forgot?"

"That doesn't matter! The entire point is that you need to listen to me and help me think of boy names!"

"Did you ask her about how you were moving around stuff for the baby's room?"

"I was thinking Theseus, sort of to honor his father-"

"Did you ask about how the baby is kicking really hard recently?"

"Do you and Athena get along well enough to name a child after her? Like Atty or Minerva or something?"

"What about how tired you're feeling?"

"Or maybe-"

"Annie, did you talk to your doctor about anything?"

"I did, Percy. You can calm down."

"I'm sorry for not being there," I ruffled my hair.

"I get it, Perce. Now, if you miss the sonogram where I find out the gender, I will kill you," she laughed, "But this is fine."

"Still."

"Still nothing. The baby is going to be born if you went to a sonogram or not. And, when it's an annoying teenager, the baby won't scream, 'I hate you because you didn't come to my sonogram!' when they get really mad," Annabeth laughed.

"Thanks, Annabeth."

"I promise not to use it against you if you promise to pick up pizza on your way home."

"Breadsticks?"

"Definitely."


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

_**Percy,**_

I flipped the last of the pancakes onto a plate and topped it off with a side of bacon, which I had spent the last month trying to teach Annabeth how to make without burning the apartment building to the ground. Sure, they were still a little burned, but I was so proud of her of her not starting a kitchen fire that I would have no other way than to eat it.

I took a seat beside Annabeth and looked at my daughter, and I had to force myself not to lean over and hug my daughter as I thought about how old she was getting.

I know she's only eight, but eight is close to ten. And ten is close to twelve, when she'll go to camp.

And when it wears off.

As a gift from my mother-in-law, our children would be protected until they were twelve, when they could learn to protect themselves. I knew Sarah had inherited enough from her parents to be able to take care of herself. But I didn't want my daughter to have the same life I had.

I didn't want my daughter to have to grow up so young and make decisions that some adults will never have to make.

"So, what are you going to name the baby?" Sarah asked as she picked up her glass of orange juice again.

"Well, we won't pick out a name until we find out if it's a boy or girl," I was quick to speak up before Annabeth could start talking about how I wouldn't even talk about boy names until we found out if it was a boy.

"What if it's a girl then?"

"I think Olivia. What do you think, Sarah?" Annabeth sipped at her coffee, and I bit my tongue not to do anything about it.

"I like the name Olivia," Sarah nodded, "But what if I get a little brother?"

Annabeth smiled her _'Ha Ha'_ face at me, telling me that I have to answer.

"We haven't talked about that yet," I shrugged, and Sarah nodded.

"Well, when do you find out? If it's a boy or girl?" Sarah asked before biting into a piece of toast.

"Next week," Annabeth smiled wide.

She was so excited about it. I wasn't even sure if it was _Mommy Excited_ or _Proof Your Husband Wrong Excited_. At this point, I wasn't even sure that she honestly wanted a son but just wanted to prove that her Athena blood had been right once again.

It's not that I didn't want a son either.

It was just in my nature to want to spoil a daughter.

"I hope I get a little brother," Sarah shrugged, and, while Sarah was looking away, Annabeth did that annoying _Ha Ha _face again.

"I'm going to go get my bookbag," Sarah told me, and I nodded for her to be able leave. And, as soon as Sarah couldn't see me, I stuck my tongue out at Annabeth.

_**Annabeth,**_

I nervously watched as the doctor put the cold blue jelly on my growing abdomen.

For the last few months, I had thought mainly of how Percy ad I had disagreed on it. I had thought about how happy I'd be to prove my husband wrong and be carrying a baby boy instead of a baby girl like he tought.

I had purposely made it so that I didn't think of it in a _Mommy_ perspective. I thought of it in the _Athena Kid Is Going to Be Right_ perspective.

"You okay, Annabeth?" Percy smiled at me, and I tried to push away my worries.

But it was like they were written in permanent ink on my brain.

"Nervous."

"Don't be, it'll be fine," Dr. Marino smiled her pearly white smile at me, but it didn't help anything.

She took the ultrasound and started to rub it over my stomach.

I tightened my grip on Percy's hand as the image of the baby showed up on the screen.

I couldn't help but smile at it.

It was weird to think that, one day, that little baby would be Sarah's age soon. And that they'd be in an office life this one day, either being the pregnant woman or the anticipating father.

It was even weirder to realize that Sally had been in a position just like this. That she had held her breath as she found out that her baby was a little boy. That she had been reassured by a doctor, saying that there was no reason to worry.

"Okay, the baby looks perfectly healthy, Annabeth," Dr. Marino smiled, "Now, did you want to know the sex of the baby?"

"Yes," I nodded quickly, and I mentally crossed my fingers.

"Okay then, let's see."

I squeezed Percy's hand.

"It looks like…" she moved the ultrasound a little to the right to see better, "You better paint the nursery pink."

I gasped.

"It's a little girl."

I suddenly forgot the bets about the gender and let myself be a giddy mother-to-be.

"Olive," I smiled down at my abdomen.

_**XXXXXXX**_

"What _is_ this stuff?"

"Cherry Vanilla Frosting," I told Percy as I took a spoon and dug in.

"_Cherry Vanilla Frosting_?"

"It's good."

"How?"

"Percy, if you're going to keep making fun of my cravings, I'm just going to send you to get candy," I waved my frosting-covered spoon at him, and he raised his hands I surrender.

"Okay," he smiled, and I continued to eat the icing as Percy wrapped his arms around me.

"We're having a little girl," he kissed the top of my head.

"I know, I know. You were right, Percy."

"I know," he smiled, enjoying being right.

"So, name time. What do you think? Sophie? Olivia? Elizabeth?"

"I still like the name Olivia," he stroked my hair.

"Olivia Jackson," I smiled down at my stomach.

"Do you think we'll be good at it?" Percy asked, "With her, I mean?"

"We're pretty good with Sarah," I shrugged, "So we'll probably be pretty good with this one."

"But Sarah is _eight_. I mean, with a baby? How are we going to be with a dependent newborn that cries all the time?"

"Percy," I laughed, "You are _Mr. Daddy_ over here. I'm the one who'll need help."

"You're going to be a great mom to Olive here. Don't worry about it," Percy laughed as if that would make me feel better.

"I hope so. I don't want to be like my dad. I love the man and everything, but he had no clue how to raise a child," I took another spoonful of frosting, "And don't even get me started on my mom."

"Or my dad."

"We really only have one hope then."

"What's that?" he smiled.

"Become like Sally."

He laughed as he held me closer

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, next chapter is little Olive!<strong>_


	30. Chapter Thirty

_**Annabeth:**_

"Annabeth-"

"Percy, I'm not asking to move the baby's furniture in. I'm just asking to help paint," I crossed my arms, and Percy faltered.

I smiled, and I walked past him into my old office, which was now supposed to be the baby's room.

Since I was already eight months along, I should have already had the room all made up for the soon-to-be born Olive. But, with Sarah's Christmas Break coming soon, I hadn't had too much time for baby preparations. Instead, I had been getting things ready for her class Christmas party and Christmas itself, where I would be staying home due to not being able to take a newborn to California.

Percy and I had also debated on how we would decorate Olive's room. And, if it hadn't been for Sarah ending the argument by agreeing with me, we would be nowhere.

My plan had been simple, to follow the name of the baby.

The room would be a nice crème, which Percy and I would have to paint. And, where the crib would be, there would be a sprouting olive tree, with _Olivia_ in an olive green cursive. The color scheme was mostly of greens, olive colored and a light spring green. And I had already bought everything for the room, including a specially made bed that could be used to look like a couch for reading stories and could be used for sleepless nights when they wouldn't stop crying.

I was so excited to have another baby, not as excited as Percy of course. But that would be almost impossible.

"Alright, but be careful," Percy smiled weakly as he handed me a paint roller.

I smiled as I started to color the light blue that had covered the walls before.

Percy had almost all of it done, but I still had something to do at least.

"What could happen while _painting _Percy?" I laughed as I began to paint stepping on the part of plastic where I had made a marker to tell me that I was going to put the crib there.

"Shut up, Annie," Percy smiled, and I shrugged with a smile as I stretched up high to make Percy mad.

"When do we need to pick up Sarah?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Percy looked down at his _Swatch_.

"About two hours, but, knowing Sarah and Lyle, she probably won't agree to go home for tree," Percy shrugged with a smile.

After my falling out with Gina, Sarah and Carly had a big fight.

While their mutual friends were still picking sides, Sarah had finally decided to introduce herself to a boy in her class, who had been in a completely different than her, Lyle. It had taken them maybe five minutes to become best friends, and Sarah had quickly gotten along with his friends.

While I did feel a little bit bad for the girls that Sarah had ditched for them, I had to admit that I loved seeing Sarah this happy.

She had gotten along with the other girls, yes, but there was something different about her new friends. It was like she had finally found a place where she felt like she truly belonged, with other demigods and some extraordinary humans. Her old friends had been like clones of each other, as I now saw.

All with the same sort of faces. They all giggled and wore _a lot_ of pink, even with their navy uniforms. And every single one of them was in love with the blonde guy from that Disney show (Austin and Ally? I don't know).

"Lyle is such a cute guy," I smiled as I thought of the little brunette, with those big blue eyes and obsession with Neosporin (the has a special pocket in his backpack to carry it).

"I guess," Percy clammed up, and I turned back to look at him.

"No?" I laughed.

"What?"

"You don't like Sarah hanging out with Lyle?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Annabeth," Percy shook his head, but I knew my husband well enough to know when he was lying.

"Tell me I'm wrong here, but you," I aimed the paint brush to be pointed at him, "don't like a guy hanging around your daughter."

Percy stumbled, trying to say no, and I started laughing loudly, almost rolling on the floor laughing.

"They're _eight_!"

Percy tried to talk, but it came out broken and weird.

"I guess it makes sense. We were best friends. So, you don't want your daughter hanging out with a guy best friend," I tried to make it so that it made sense, but I still kept laughing, holding my stomach because I was pretty sure that the baby was laughing along with me.

Suddenly, while I had my eyes closed as I laughed, I felt something cold hit my skin.

I gasped as I looked at Percy, who had a hand slapped over his mouth in shock that he had actually done that.

"Oh my god!" Percy opened his mouth to apologize, but he stopped mid-sentence when crème paint slapped against his pale pink lips.

I laughed as he wiped away the paint from his lips.

He leaned down to the floor, where he picked up a smaller paint brush.

"You're dead," Percy laughed as he splattered the paint on my old San Fran tee shirt, and I continued to splatter my husband with the paint, making sure he was finally covered head to toe while my clothes were really the only painted thing.

After almost an hour of throwing paint at each other, we got a sudden reminder of what we were supposed to be doing when I leaned down an I was out of paint.

"Thank the freakin' gods," Percy collapsed on the painted plastic covers, reaching for a towel to take all of the paint off of his face, and I sat down with my legs tucked underneath me beside him.

"Do we need to pick up more?" I tried not to laugh.

"Just in case," Percy pointed towards the closet, where Rachael had already given us part of her shower gift by painting the door with an olive tree to measure Olive's height when she grew up.

Before Percy could object, I picked up the two heavy cans of paint and placed them both by the treys, putting the right amount in like I had seen Percy do before. And he was luckily too busy hurriedly wiping the paint from his body before it would set in and take hours in the shower to get off.

"Truce?" Percy smiled his dazzling smile as he outstretched his hand, and I took it when I suddenly got knocked off my feet and fell into his arms.

"Annabeth?"

I couldn't answer from the awful pains in my abdomen, I could only grip onto Percy.

"Annabeth, are you okay?" he worriedly asked, pushing my hair out of my eyes to look at me.

"I…I know this-" I stopped at another sharp pain, "when I almost lost-"

I stopped from another sudden pain, but Percy knew what I was going to say.

When I fell down the stairs and almost lost Sarah.

_**Midnight:**_

Sarah was falling asleep in my arms in the waiting room, but I was jealous that she could do so.

I was so tired, oh so tired.

But I couldn't even _think_ about sleeping.

How long had I been sitting here after my wife had suddenly gotten terrible pains?

Six hours.

When was the last word I had heard about her condition?

Hmm… when I had first gotten here, they said they were probably going to need to have the baby born today, instead of the expected due date of January seventeenth that I had anticipated for my daughter. Then, maybe two or three hours ago, I had been updated that my daughter was definitely being born today.

Other than that, I was left in the dark.

I brushed Sarah's hair out of her eyes, and I looked around the Lenox hospital waiting room.

It was weird to think that, just about two years ago, I had come here to first meet Sarah and see Annabeth here again for the first time in years.

And now I was holding my daughter as I waited to find out if Annabeth and my soon-to-be born, if not _already born_, daughter were going to be alright.

I looked at the clock to see midnight pass minute by minute until I couldn't watch the clock anymore.

And then I saw my mom come through the Lenox door, trying to paint her face to not be worried, and I began to wake up Sarah.

"Sarah, your grandmother's here," I continued to lightly shake her until the seven year old sat up and started to rub at her grey eyes.

"But what about Mommy?"

"I think it's still going to be a while, and you should get some sleep, Cutie," I forced myself to smile, but it was weak.

"Hey, Sarah, you ready to go?" Sarah forced herself to smile, and I stood up with Sarah. My mom couldn't help it as she pulled me close into a hug, and I couldn't help but bury my face in my mom's shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Perce," she pushed some hair out of my eyes and smiled her mothering smile at me.

"I know, Mom," I nodded though I wasn't sure if I really believed it.

"Come on, Sarah. You look so tired," my mother took Sarah's hand and smiled down at her, and Sarah looked up to me, as if asking me if I really was stable enough to be left alone.

And I _wasn't_.

But I couldn't let Sarah know that.

"I'll call you tomorrow, promise, Sarah."

Sarah nodded, and she was starting to walk away when she stopped and turned back to me.

"Tell Mommy and the baby that I love them," Sarah pushed her hair behind her ear, and I nodded towards her smiling a real smile for the first time in hours.

"I will, Sarah."

Sarah smiled thanks at me, and Sally laced her fingers through her granddaughters, leading her off to take her home.

And I slumped back into the chair, putting my head in my hands.

And then I saw Dr. Marino's shining face, walking towards me, and I immediately stood up to meet her.

"Percy, she's doing great. Both of them," Dr. Marino smiled, and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, "Annabeth is still asleep. And she will be for a while, I don't think she'll really be conscience until tomorrow. But your daughter is perfect. We got her out just in time, I don't know what happened. It was just like her body couldn't do the birth."

_Thank you Hera._

"Well, she's alright. That's what matters," I tried, and this forced the _thinking face_ off of Dr. Marino's face.

"Of course. If you really want to, you can meet your daughter. But, she needs a few shots. I'd probably suggest waiting for tomorrow," Dr. Marino told me with her pearly white smile.

"I should probably wait for Annabeth."

"You sure?" Dr. Marino smiled as she cocked an eyebrow, and I couldn't help but laugh for the first time.

"I have a feeling I'd make her sneeze," I held up my paint smeared tee shirt.

"You might have a point there."

"When can I come in tomorrow?"

"Well," she looked down to the files on her clipboard, "I can't really tell when the anesthetic will wear off. Should be about nine AM. But, with all she's been through, I'd say after noon."

"Thanks," I smiled with an idea.

_**They're okay!**_

_**And Percy has an idea?**_

_**Hmm… what is this seaweed brain going to do?**_

_**Next chapter, people meet the little baby, we name her, and we see Percy's surprise!**_


	31. Chapter Thirty One

_**Percy,**_

I rocked my baby as she drifted further and further into sleep.

_My baby_.

I had prepared for months, years really, for the fatherly love I would feel when I would hold my first daughter. I loved Sarah of course, but I had never gotten to hold her after she was born, not until she was already seven.

But nothing could prepare me for the feeling I felt when I held my new daughter, whatever her name was to be.

We had agreed on Olivia Athena Jackson.

But I wasn't exactly sure that Annabeth would still want to name her that.

I had to admit that I was a little shocked.

Since Sarah had been born to be basically a little clone of her mother, only with my hair and nose, I had expected that our new baby would be either look just like me or like Annabeth. But the little baby had become a mash-up of us both.

She had my nose, or what I thought was my nose for now. Her mother's perfectly sculpted lips. My height, even if she was a baby she was tall. Annabeth's high cheek-bones. My dimples, and Annabeth's blonde curls.

And then there were her eyes.

Her beautiful green eyes.

They weren't olive colored by a long shot.

They were the same dark sea green with navy blue flecks that I had.

But, in my opinion, they earned her the name Olive.

"Olive," I smiled as I ran my hand through her thick blonde curls, "I can't wait until your mom gets to meet you."

"Don't hold your breath."

I looked up, and the blonde in the hospital bed who was trying to sit up, though she was probably too tired to do so.

"You're awake."

"And I'm not pregnant apparently," she looked down at her abdomen, which was definitely smaller without her little daughter inside of it.

And then Annabeth looked to me, and her mouth went slack.

"Is-is that…?"

I nodded, and Annabeth smiled while I stood up, making sure not to wake the baby, and brought her to her mother.

A few stray tears fall from her grey eyes as I set the little girl in her arms, and she was quick to learn the protective way of holding her, which I had worried would take a while to teach her. But Annabeth was a natural.

And then the little girl's eyes fluttered open, and Annabeth gasped.

"She's beautiful," Annabeth laughed with joy, holding on to our daughter like only a mother can.

"Speaking of _she_, what do you want to name her? Still Olivia Athena Jackson?"

Annabeth seemed to think it over as our daughter wrapped her hand around her mother's pinky, giggling with joy.

"Sally," Annabeth's voice seemed to be off in her own world.

"What?"

"Sally. Sally Olivia Jackson," Annabeth smiled up at me, "We'll call her Olive."

"But why?"

"I don't know," Annabeth shrugged as she looked back at our daughter, "When Sarah was born, she had that bright determination that my grandmother had. And this baby just has that kind heart and sweetness to her. Like your mother."

I looked down at my daughter and saw the same thing that she was talking about.

"Are you sure?"

Annabeth smiled wide as she nodded.

"Alright then," I smiled, "Before we introduce little Sally Olivia Jackson to everyone, there's something I want to show you."

Annabeth knit her eyebrows in confusion, and Percy reached in his back pocket for his droid cell phone.

"I couldn't sleep last night, and Rachel wanted to do some painting," I smiled as I showed her the picture, and she gasped.

"You-!" Annabeth covered her mouth, unable to finish that, and I showed her the other pictures.

When I got home, Sarah was spending the night with her grandmother, and I couldn't even think of sleeping. Not when I had so much to do.

I had finished painting up the walls and sent a text to Rachel, asking her to come paint tomorrow after we met the new baby. To my surprise, just as I was settling in to bed, Rachel had showed up at my door at four in the morning to paint.

She had done everything Annabeth had briefed her on.

She had made the Olive tree, with Olive in the dark green. She had done the detailing to such an extent that not even the planner, Annabeth, could have imagined. And she had even stuck around to help me with putting the furniture together. But my mom and daughter had quickly kicked her out of placing things around the nursery when she had "_done everything wrong, Daddy!"_

But I had to admit that my thirty four hours without sleep was worth it.

"Sally finished the quilt!" Annabeth's eyes watered as she looked at the quilt with _Olive_ spelled out in green.

"Sarah helped her finish it."

"She did?"

I nodded, and Annabeth continued to laugh with joy.

And, then as if on cue of me talking about her, Sarah ran in the hospital room.

"Mommy, you're awake!" Sarah smiled as she ran off to see her mother, and it took all of her restraint not to jump on the bed beside her mother.

"Sarah," Annabeth smiled happily, "I want you to meet your sister."

I moved so that Sarah could see her little sister, and she gasped as she looked down at the little girl. And I almost cried as Olive giggled happily at the sight of her older sister. It probably had something to do with the fact that she looked _exactly_ like her mother. But I liked to think that it was something to show that the two little girls would get along.

"She's so pretty."

"She is," my mother smiled, stepping beside me as she set Annabeth's bag down on the floor, mesmerized by her new granddaughter.

"Her name is Sally Olivia Jackson," Annabeth smiled up at her mother-in-law, and I wrapped my arms around my mom's shoulder as she cried with joy.

"What are we going to call her?" Sarah asked, finally looking up from her sister.

"Olive."

_**Three Months Later…**_

It had taken three months for things to finally settle down.

For Christmas to pass.

For school to get started up again.

For work to get back in swing.

And for us to adjust to Olive.

It was weird with another baby.

Sure, we had _known_ about her for over a year now.

But we hadn't been with her.

We hadn't learned our daughter.

Like how, when she can't sleep, she wants to listen to Calli's old CD of beach music.

Or how she loves it when she hears Percy's deep voice reads her a bedtime story.

Or how she gurgles happily every time I wrap her up in the quilt her grandmother and sister made her.

And we had even learned a few things about Sarah now that Olive was around.

Like how she loves to read to her little sister.

Or how she can calm her sister down just by talking to her (Thank the gods!)

Or that she was paying attention when we had told her what to do when taking care of her cousin and was constantly upstaging us when it came to taking care of Olive.

In the last few months we had learned all learned things about each other. And basically Sarah had been the only one we had learned good things about.

I downed the scorching hot coffee like it was cool water on a hot summer day.

A year ago, I would have gotten sick at that. But I had missed coffee so much that it didn't matter if it was boiling. I needed my caffeine. Especially with the sleepless nights and busy days that had consumed me for the last few months.

I quickly glanced at the clock.

_9:03_

On a _Saturday._

I should have been buried underneath a comforter, finally getting some sleep. Saturday was the one and only day a week where Olive would sleep all through the night without as much as one scream. And that had quickly become the favorite day in our family.

But I wasn't.

Because today the swim team was starting up again, and Sarah had a big swim meet in two hours. And I had to get up and make sure that she had a good breakfast and was ready for it.

And she was probably getting back to sleep by now.

_Lucky._

I poured myself another cup of coffee and mixed in some crème as I went up to my daughter's room.

"Sarah? Do you need me to braid your hair?" I pushed the door open, and she wasn't there, "Sarah?"

And then I heard giggling coming from the room next door.

I crossed the few feet to the other door and pushed it open to see my two daughters.

Neither seemed to notice me.

Instead, they played with the Leggos that I had thought I had kept _out_ of Olive's room, though she seemed to be doing fine with them. In fact, they were building a house, actually they were building an exact replica of the _Athena cabin_ right down to the columns built into the edge.

I couldn't help but smile as Sarah helped her little sister, who was actually a natural with them.

I knew I should have been quickly taking away the small pieces which a baby could choke on. But I couldn't get myself to end this.

Besides, Sarah would stop her anyway.

Since she was the only one who could sleep through Olive's sleepless nights, Sarah was usually the only one who could really function in the morning.

For the first time in months, it actually felt _worth it_ to have gotten up in the morning. Just so I could see this.

"They do this every Sunday morning, you know."

I looked to my right, where Percy was holding a steaming cup of coffee and smiling at me.

"I didn't know that," I whispered back as Percy came to where we could both see the girls and they couldn't see us.

"For about a month now. I'm always the one who has to remind them about breakfast, so I saw them. It's adorable, huh?"

I nodded.

"It's an exact copy of the Athena cabin, you know."

"They didn't inherit that from me," Percy laughed, and I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Do you think they'll always get along this well?" I asked hopefully. I knew what torture I had put my father through by fighting with my half-brothers. And I didn't think I could handle that.

"I think so. Well, when they're teenagers, they'll probably fight. But I think they'll always love each other like this."

"I hope so. I couldn't handle them to have a relationship like what I had with my brothers."

"Me neither," Percy laughed as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and I leaned into him.

"Almost makes you want to have another, huh?"

"We _can't_."

"There is this thing called _adoption._"

I shrugged.

"Maybe."

Percy looked down at me in surprise.

"Maybe?"

"You don't want to?"

"No, I do. It's just, if I remember, it took me almost a year of dropping hints for you to agree to agree to little Olive. I'm pretty shocked."

"A. Those weren't _hints._ You were basically _screaming_ it. B. Why did you ask if you expected me to say no?"

"I don't know," Percy shrugged, "I'm a Seaweed Brain, remember?"

I couldn't help but get on my tippy toes, since either I shrank or Percy grew (I'm hoping he grew) in the last month, and kiss him.

"Were you serious about adoption?" Percy asked, setting our foreheads together.

"Yeah, I was."

I spoke without hesitation.

Well, the hesitation came _after_ I said it.

I had never thought about having another child. I had barely thought about getting a _dog_, much less another _kid_.

But yet I could feel that I wanted another one.

"Later though. When the girls are older."

"Agreed," Percy smiled, and he was leaning in to kiss me when my phone started to buzz in my pocket.

"The swim meet," I sighed, "It's time to take Sarah."

Percy kissed the top of my head.

"I'll take care of Olive."

I smiled thanks, and Percy went back to the bedroom to get dressed, and I thought about what I had just agreed to.

"Sarah? We need to get your stuff and get you to school," I came to the door, pretending that I hadn't seen her playing with her sister, and she kissed the top of Olive's head before jumping up to get her stuff.

Another baby.

I should have been panicking.

Were two not enough?

_Three_?

Could I even handle that?

But I was fine.

Maybe a boy this time.

"Ready, Mom?" Sarah snapped me out of my thoughts, and I quickly nodded, though I wasn't sure I had heard what she had even said.

"Yeah, let's go" I checked my back pocket to find my car keys, and I followed the fast little eight year old girl.

As we were getting into the elevator, Sarah's phone buzzed.

"How's Lyle?" I nudged her.

My daughter quickly turned to the shade of a strawberry.


	32. The Finale

_**Three Years Later…**_

"Sarah, we're going to be late!"

Almost as if on cue of her mother calling her, Sarah stepped out of her bedroom door and began to descend the staircase with her little sister, Olive, on her hip.

You would think it would be hard to tell that the little girls were sisters with all of her differences.

Sarah had long, wavy black hair, and Olive had uncontrollable blonde curls. Sarah's eyes were grey, and Olive's were a sea green that she had inherited from her father. While Sarah's face was almost an exact replica of her mother, Olive was a mash-up of her two attractive parents.

But there was something about them that just told you that they were sisters.

When baby Olive was born, Sarah, eight at the time, had seen her little sister like a baby doll she would be getting two weeks later at Christmas. Everyone had worried that, once that wore of, the girls would no longer get a long. But, with every year, the love grew between the sisters instead of faded.

Everyone knew this.

Their parents.

Their grandparents, even the ones who rarely got to see them because they lived in California.

And even Lyle, who was oblivious to _everything_, including his love for Sarah.

Annabeth, the mother of the two girls, couldn't help but smile.

Five years ago, she never would have imagined any of this possible.

Raising Sarah.

Being married to Percy.

_Or_ having another child, Olive.

But here she was.

Annabeth had worried that the two daughters wouldn't get a long.

Annabeth and Percy had been young when the conceived Sarah, and they had quickly disagreed on what to do with the little baby. Annabeth, without his consent, decided that Sarah would have a much better life with a Westchester family who wanted to do adopt her, and she signed the papers releasing her parental rights. Percy had been furious because he ha been the one who wanted to keep the baby.

But there was nothing to be done.

Or at least, until seven years later, when they both got a call from the adoption agency that Annabeth had used. Sarah's adopted parents had left in their will that Sarah's birth parents be tracked down if they died, never expecting that a car accident would make that come true when they were only in their thirties. The family, though they didn't want to, followed their dying wishes and tracked Annabeth and Percy down.

Sarah fell in love with her parents and decided to try to get them back together.

And, after several months of trying, it finally worked.

It didn't take long until the two got married, and Percy was basically begging for another baby the second they said 'I Do'.

Annabeth had been hesitant.

She was worried for Sarah. She didn't want Sarah to feel inferior to the new baby because they had put her up for adoption but not the new baby.

But Annabeth had finally agreed, and Sarah had been ecstatic when her little sister, Sally Olivia Jackson, was born.

"Did Dad already take the bags to the car?" Sarah asked as she put her three year old sister on the ground, knowing she'd wail '_I 'an do it. I 'an do it._' if Sarah didn't let her walk on her own.

"Yeah, he's waiting downstairs," Annabeth nodded as she helped Olive into her green rain jacket, even though it had stopped raining an hour ago.

Olive didn't go by her real name of Sally. Since they had found out that they were having a little girl, they had planned on naming her Olivia Silena Jackson. But, when she had been born, Annabeth saw that same sweet nature in her eyes that she saw in her wonderful mother in law, Sally.

Instead of going by the name she had been legally given, the family all called her by the nickname her older sister had given her even before she was born, Olive.

As Annabeth helped her daughter into her jacket and shoes, Sarah picked up her heavy back-pack, which she would be lugging to Camp Half-Blood.

When Sarah had been born, her grandmother, Athena, had given her a special birthday gift. Until she was twelve, her blood would have the scent of human blood, keeping the monsters away.

And Sarah's twelfth birthday was only a few weeks away.

Sarah had pretended for the sake of her parents that she was excited to be following in her parent's footsteps and going to Camp Half-Blood. But she couldn't manage to act like that today, to only tell herself the good things she knew about camp.

Aside from training non-stop and the threat of quests, Sarah had never been away from her parents or little sister for this long.

The only comfort she had was that her best friend for the last three years, Lyle, who happened to be a son of Hephaestus, was going to be there this year with her, too. He wouldn't be in the same cabin,and their schedules would probably be completely different. But it was nice to know that she had one friend there.

Chiron. who ran the camp, had known Sarah since she was seven, and he was like another grandfather to her. He had tried to make it so that Camp would be easier on her this year. He had even given her the pick of which cabin she wanted, Poseidon or Athena. But, when she chose Athena, thinking it would be best because there were people there to help her along, the Athena cabin began renovations that would leave no room for Sarah for two months and Poseidon had claimed a twelve year old daughter, Elise.

But, other than that little blip, Chiron had everything in order for little Sarah. He had given her a special pick of electives before anyone else could take them, had sent her a summer schedule, and had especially made sure that her cabin was ready for the new arrivals. But Sarah couldn't help but be scared for Camp, and she especially prayed that she wouldn't get chosen for a quest.

And she had every reason to be scared at she would. Aside from being one of the most powerful demigods alive herself, Sarah's parents were legends at camp, basically holding the record for most successful quests. Everyone would want a Jackson on their quest, and one had finally become available.

"Are you guys ready to go?" Annabeth asked as she stood up from buttoning her daughter's jacket.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Sarah nodded as she followed her mother out to the hallway and to the elevator.

"'Ere is 'Ara going?" Olive asked as Sarah pressed the button for the garage in the elevator, and Sarah froze. She didn't want to be the one to tell her.

"Well, Olive," Annabeth began, "Sarah is going to camp this summer."

"What's damp?"

"_Camp_, Olive," Annabeth smiled as she corrected her daughter.

"What's camp?" Olive asked as the elevator door dinged open, and Sarah was fast to get ahead of them so that she wouldn't have to be there when Olive started crying. She just couldn't take it when Olive started crying.

"Camp is kind of like daycare, where you play games with your friends. But you stay there," Annabeth explained, not exactly sure how to put it.

"Stay there?" Olive asked, clearly not understanding, and Annabeth took a deep breath before explaining completely.

Sarah handed her backpack to her father, who was waiting by Annabeth's SUV.

Percy was a handsome guy, with tanned Olive skin and bright green eyes. And he had that '_Better With Age_' feel to him, like George Clooney or something. Everyone in Sarah's school thought he was cute, which drove Sarah insane.

Percy was a good business man. A great friend. A talented soldier. And a wonderful husband. But he had been born to be a dad.

"All '_ummer_?" Olive wailed, unable to believe that her older sister could be gone for so long.

Sarah felt her stomach clench as she anticipated Olive's tears, and she climbed into the backseat of the SUV, sending Lyle a text.

_Just told O. Going to be sick._

_-Sarah_

While Lyle comforted Sarah, Percy went into action to comfort Olive.

"But Sarah will call _all the time_. We'll see her on Fourth of July. And we can go see her other times, too. You'll barely notice she's gone, Olive," Percy smiled at the three year old, and Olive stared up into his eyes, which were the same beautiful shade of green as hers.

Olive smiled, showing off her baby teeth, and Percy's heart warmed. While Percy went to start the car, Annabeth picked Olive up to put her in her carseat.

Though it had been over three years, it suddenly felt like that snowy December morning where Annabeth had brought Olive home for the first time. She still felt that fire strike through her, where she was worried that she would be a bad mother to this new baby That the little girl would feel as unloved and run away, just as Annabeth had done herself all those years ago.

Annabeth wouldn't be able to take that.

Percy had been the one to push having another baby, and he had been so excited to find out that they had a miracle of Annabeth being able to get pregnant with Olive. Even taking it to extrememes by basically babysitting his wife to make sure she didn't do anything that could potentially harm the baby, _including_ banning coke.

But, when Annabeth had held Olive for the first time, she had felt motherly love surge through her, even becoming equal to Percy's, which everyone had assumed was impossible.

As Annabeth pulled herself into the passenger seat, she let worry for Sarah set in

Percy pressed the radio dial and set it to an upbeat Taylor Swift song to lighten the mood.

This didn't work on the Jackson women though.

Every one of them was worried.

Sarah for the danger ahead of her and for her little sister.

Annabeth for her daughter having to grow up so soon.

And Olive for her big sister, though she was too young to understand all of the danger her older sister was in.

It took a long time to get to the forest where the camp waited, and Sarah became more and more scared as her dad pulled the car to a stop.

She heeled her dad with the bags, and Annabeth carried Olive through the forest.

Chiron was waiting for them. He had said hello to the other campers of course, but he had really come to say hello to his favorite family, the Jacksons.

He had basically raised Annabeth, and he was like another dad to Percy. And their two daughters. Oh, how he loved those two! They were the best parts of his favorite people, and Chiron couldn't imagine liking anyone more than he liked them. Of course he loved them, too, but he also liked them as people. And there aren't many who can say that about their loved ones.

"Girls!" Chiron smiled, and Sarah put her heavy book bag down to hug Chiron. Annabeth put Olive down, and the little girl toddled over to Chiron, who happily iced up the little girl.

"C'Ron!" Olive giggled happily, and Percy couldn't help but smile as he watched the person who had taught him how to become lethal played with a toddler.

"Elise should be here any minute, Sarah," Chiron tried to reassure Sarah, though it didn't do much, and Sarah thanked Chiron.

After some more hugs, they started to go down the hill to the Camp.

_**Five years later…**_

As Chiron went on to talk to some more campers after the annual group hug, Sarah picked up her sister's last bag, seeing there her parents were about to fall over with the others.

So maybe they _did_ fight a lot, even on the drive to camp, but Sarah did feel scared for her baby sister, Olive.

The age difference between the two hadn't been a problem until about a year ago.

All of her friends had freedom, including all of their shiny new drivers licenses, but Sarah was always stuck babysitting. And, even worse, Olive had basically become _perfect._

She was beautiful, with long blonde curls and sea green eyes. Olive was smart, smarter than Sarah had been at her age. She was a gymnast prodigy. And she made friends so easily, something Sarah_ still_ couldn't do.

But none of that mattered today.

It was Olive's first day of camp, which had been demanded after all of the trouble Sarah had gotten into with monsters in the last few years.

And Sarah was determined to help her.

This made Olive smile.

it had been so long since her sister had protected her, and it was something that she had missed so much.

Olive had no clue why she had her sister had suddenly started fighting all the time.

Olive still loved her sister like she had hung the moon. She fought along, too, of course. but, if they could put down their weapons and agree again, olive would in a heartbeat.

The family all stumbled as they went down the hill.

Annabeth had the biggest load to carry, which consisted of Olive's overpacked suitcase and the hand of the son of Hermes, Hercules AKA Harry, who they had adopted when he was three, making it about three years ago.

But she still managed to smile at her daughters.

It had been almost a year since she had seen the two girls get along this well.

Percy would've been smiling if he still hadn't been sick from Sarah's attempts to _outsmart traffic_.

Aside from the fact that he was forced to teach Sarah how to drive, he loved his life.

He had been married to the woman he loved for almost ten years. He had two beautiful daughters and a wonderful son, which he had taken two years to get Annabeth to agree to.

Then again, everyone was pretty happy these days.

Calli had remarried and lived in the Hamptons with her blueblood husband and three children, Amanda, 13, Franklin JR, 9, and Eliza, 7.

Sally lived in the townhouse next door to her son and three grandchildren, which meant she could basically see them whenever she wanted to.

Matthew, Annabeth's half-brother, is settled down in DC and is expecting two new additions to his family, a baby girl and a baby boy.

And Malcolm and Katie decided that Kevin shouldn't be an only child and had two more children, Izzie and Halley.

Sarah couldn't help but smile as Lyle came into view, standing in front of his cabin.

Sarah wasn't sure if he had suddenly gotten cute or if she was just now noticing.

It had been six months since Sarah had realized her crush on Lyle.

Sarah had wanted to get out of the house while everyone got ready for Olive's birthday, and lyle had agreed to hang out with her at the snow-covered park that was in between where they both lived.

Even bundled up to protect himself from the snow, Lyle looked hotter than July. His dark brown curls were effortlessly perfect, and his eyes were a deep sea blue. His smile was dazzling and his laugh mesmerizing. He was about 6'2, even though he was only sixteen, and training had done well for him.

While Sarah was just figuring out her crush on him, Lyle had known that he was in love with Sarah for years. And, almost everyday, Lyle would tell her that the beautiful grey color of her eyes was his favorite he had never really listened until that day, with the snow falling around him and his amazing blue eyes looking into hers.

As the family reached the horseshoe of cabins, Harry took off, leaving his mother's grasp.

_**Three Years Later…**_

"Harry!"

The nine year old turned back to his mother.

He instantly felt bad for running off to see the new memorial for the Second Titan War that his mother had designed.

His oldest sister, Sarah, had been a freshman in Columbia this year. And, even though she was close by, Annabeth still missed having her baby girl with her and wished she could have spent her summer at home instead of camp.

Sarah couldn't help but smile.

Everything seemed to have changed in the last year.

Camp had changed Olive. Like Sarah had years before her, she had outgrown her girly stage, and this had helped smooth things over between the sisters, making them good friends like they had been before.

The kids that Sarah used to babysit were now babysitters themselves.

And the camp newbies that Sarah had seen every year were now also veterans.

But Harry was still the same.

"Sorry," Harry ran back to their mother.

Percy ruffled his son's hair. He loved his daughters. But he also loved having another guy in the house. Someone to throw a baseball with. And someone to roll his eyes with when the girls take forever getting ready.

"How much longer until I can to go camp?" Harry pouted as he laced his fingers through Annabeth's.

"A few more years, Kiddo," Olive laughed.

Harry steamed.

Olive was only two years older than him. But, by the way she acted, you would think it was two decades.

"You excited for California, Harry?" Annabeth was quick to remind him about his summer with his grandparents.

Harry hadn't seen those grandparents very much since they lived on the other side of the country, but Harry was excited to be spending the summer with them.

If anything, he saw it as a freedom.

None of his older sisters ever got to go spend the summer in California without their parents. And Harry thought it was about time that he show that he wasn't that little three year old who had joined their family all those years ago. That he was a big boy, not a baby anymore.

While Harry babbled on about how much fun he was going to have in California, Sarah's phone buzzed with a text from her boyfriend of two years.

_Almost there. Can't wait to spend the summer with you._

_-Lyle_

Sarah smiled at the phone.

They both had gone to Columbia together, both taking their love for helping and healing by going Pre-Med. Their dorm rooms were close to each other. And it hadn't even been three weeks since Lyle had gotten in his car and drove the three hour drive to the small town, where his mother now owned a store.

But Sarah did have to admit that she had missed him.

She quickly typed something back to Lyle, and she reached over to help her little sister with her bags.

As had been planned, they looked amazing to come to camp today so that the Aphrodite girls would have nothing to sneer about. But these girls barely needed any help in that area. With such attractive parents, it would be basically impossible to not be at least _pretty_. But Sarah and Olive were undoubtedly beautiful and getting better by the day.

Sarah smiled as she began the job of opening up the new and improved Poseidon's cabin, typing in the code just inside the door.

The glass to protect the cabin from the rain opened up, and the blue curtains wafted in the summer breeze. The marble floors glistened in the sunlight, and the fountains gurgled to life. The furniture looked brand new, even though it was almost as old as Sarah, and the roof, which was a patented design by a Hephaestus kid, suddenly turned to glass, with a slight blue tent like you were looking from underwater.

The five of them quickly got to work unpacking bags and claiming beds.

Annabeth purposely took her time.

She took so long, intact, that Percy had already kissed the kids goodbye and taken Harry to the lake. And Olive had already ran off to the rock climbing wall to get some early practice in before the other kids arrived.

After a while, Sarah came to sit by her mother, who was making sure that they had everything before she left.

"You okay, Mom?" Sarah pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, I''m just thinking of the first time we brought you to this cabin.

Sarah smiled at the memory.

"I was seven, right?"

"Yeah, we brought you here to meet Chiron. He basically fell in love with you on the spot," Annabeth smiled as she looked around the cabin.

She had her own memories for the place, ones of her youth with Percy. But, as she sat here, she realized that her daughter had memories of her own here.

Like making peace with her sister years ago as they counted the stairs on the marble floor.

Or meeting her best friend/aunt, Elise.

And even sliding to the floor, smiling like a lunatic after her first kiss with Lyle at the beach.

Annabeth was realizing that her baby girl had grown up on her.

"This was your favorite place to come, you know," Annabeth smiled, as she looked around the cabin.

"I remember. When the nightmares got really bad," Sarah frowned at the memory of her prophecy, which still made her sick if she thought about it too long, "you used to drive me here because I only felt safe with the barrier."

Annabeth laced her fingers through her daughter's and squeezed three times.

_I love you._

Sarah smiled at their old tradition, which she had almost forgotten about until now.

Sarah couldn't help but lean over and hug her mother.

"I love you, Sarah."

"I love you, too, Mommy," Sarah forced herself not to cry.

She had been holding in her worries for so long that she could barely stand it anymore. The truth was that she missed missed being home with her family. She missed fighting with Olive over stupid things. She missed it all, every annoying quirk of her brother's and every tender moment of family time.

Annabeth couldn't help but want to stay in this moment, where her daughter became her little girl again.

_**Fifteen Years Later…**_

_**Annabeth,**_

I quickly signed onto my e-mail account.

Thirteen new messages.

Five for work.

Five from friends.

And then my favorite three.

_Mom,_

_The bar is coming up soon. Cross your fingers. I don't think I can handle taking just one more year of law school. We still on for dinner at your place? Or is it a pizza night for me? ;D_

_Call me later._

_-Harry_

My son.

I went to the next email and looked at picture attached, and I smiled at the picture of the a newspaper.

_New York times raves that __Heritage_ "…_brings Greek Mythology to modern day, with exciting adventures, and it'll grab you from page one and keep you coming back for more"_

I looked down to the rest of the email to see how my daughter was reacting.

_Mom, can you believe it?_

_My book tour went perfect! Everyone is _demanding_ me to finish the series._

_Gotta go. My flight is boarding. I'll call you when I'm back in the States._

_-Olive_

I smiled even wider as I went down to the last email, from my last child, Sarah.

_Loving Tahiti. I can't believe I've seriously been married for eight years. Best anniversary ever._

_How is Atty? I miss her so much._

_I finally understand what you meant when you said you missed me on your honeymoon._

_Tell Atty and Dad I love them!_

_-Sarah_

As if on cue of me thinking about my granddaughter, Athena Annabeth McCloud, I heard a door squeak upstairs and little feet come down the stairs.

As a surprise for their eighth anniversary, Lyle, Sarah's husband, had bought them a second honeymoon to Tahiti. They had left four days ago, leaving little Atty with us. Surprisingly, Atty, who hated being without her parents, had been fine, and Sarah had been the one who continuously missed Atty.

"Anna-Nana?"

I smiled as I swirled around to look at my granddaughter.

When Atty had been born, I had detested the thought of being called _grandmother._ But everyone had decided that I would be called Grandmother. But, one day, when we were babysitting Atty, she heard me called "_Anna-Banana_" by Percy. And she had tried to repeat it, only it came out as _"Anna-Nana"_, which I loved.

"Good morning, Cutie."

As I looked at my granddaughter, I saw that Lyle had been right when he had smiled wide when his daughter was born, saying she looked just like her mother. Other than Lyle's chin, her face was exactly like her mother's had been when she was her age. Her eyes were the same navy blue of her fathers, and her long dark brown hair had the same curls of her mother's hair. And she happened to adore green, just like her mom had.

I couldn't help but see Sarah when I looked at Atty.

And I had to remind myself that Sarah was all grown up, with her own daughter.

"I found this in Mom's old room," Atty pulled a green scrapbook from behind her back, and I remembered making it with my two daughters right before Sarah moved out and into the Columbia dorm room.

I stood up and motioned for Atty to join me on the couch.

As Atty curled around me, I opened the first page, where we saw Sarah on her first day of school in New York.

Atty knew about Eric and Jill, and she even knew Renee's grandchildren as her family. But I wasn't quite sure that she truly understood our past. So, I prayed that she wouldn't start asking why there were only pictures from when Sarah was seven and older in this book.

"Is that Mommy?" Atty pointed to a picture of Sarah at our wedding.

"Yeah, that's your mom."

"…She looks like me," Atty's eyes were full of shock as she looked up at me.

"She does, doesn't she?" I pushed some hair out of Atty's eyes.

Atty kept looking through pictures, as if mesmerized by the fact that her mother used to be her age.

"Anna-Nana? Who is that?" Atty pointed towards a picture of Sarah and Lyle playing Uno in the living room.

"That's your dad, Atty."

"That's…" Atty seemed to forget to finish her sentence as she looked down at the photo of her parents when they were just little kids.

I knew it was weird for me, seeing a picture of my daughter when she was eight while taking care of her daughter of about the same age. But I couldn't imagine how weird it must be for Atty, looking at her parents as kids.

Atty stopped almost every picture to ask me questions.

Like how could that _really_ be Aunt Olive as a baby?

Or Uncle Harry was _always_ that mischievous?

"Anna-Nana?"

"Hmm?"

I tried to seem alert, but I had felt like an answer-zombie for the last half-hour, praying that my husband would wake up and get started on breakfast to distract our granddaughter.

"Are you happy?"

"What do you mean, Atty?"

"With how everything worked out?" Atty sat up straighter to look into my eyes, and I forced myself not to think of how Sarah had done that when she was a little kid.

"It was…_unexpected._ But I wouldn't trade any of this for the world, especially not you," I tapped her on the nose, and Atty laughed happily, her smile wide.

"I love you, Anna-Nana."

"I love you, too, Athena. I love you, too," I kissed the top of her head.

…..

I looked back to the goddess of love and looked down at my stomach.

Sarah.

I named her Sarah.

"That was what would happen if you get in that car," Aphrodite pointed towards my SUV, which still sat unlocked.

I had just unlocked it.

I knew I had.

But it felt like forever ago, before the goddess of love had suddenly appeared to me. Before she had showed me my life, my future.

"You get everything you want. Just a few years of unhappiness. You get Percy. You get Sarah. And two more children. _And_ your career," Aphrodite told me, trying not to seem prejudice against that option.

"And this is what happens if you don't go…"

Suddenly, I was transported again.

My life flashed before me, just as it had before.

Running back to Percy. Talking over what we should do, including the option of adoption. And finally deciding that we should keep our future child, even if it'll be hard. We worked it through, though were still times where we wanted to throw in the towel.

And then our daughter was born, Sarah.

Everything seemed to sort of fall into place then. It was hard. But, with adorable little Sarah with us, it seemed worth it. I stayed out of college for a semester after Sarah was born and went back in, with Sally being our savior by taking care of Sarah while we were in school.

When Percy graduated, things got a million times better.

With my studying help, everyone wanted him to work with them. He also got a lot of time to take care of Sarah, which helped me as I finished out. And then there was one special morning.

I had woken up one morning, and I had soon found that Percy was up. And, though it was 9:30, when Sarah always cried bloody murder, I heard no screams from next door. Seeing as Percy had clearly already gotten up and taken care of our daughter, I was in a pretty good mood in the first place. And then the smell of Bacon drifted into the bedroom, which made me smile even wider. I had come into the kitchen to see Percy making breakfast, including two-year Sarah by asking to taste test. As I always did, I got right into helping with breakfast.

While I was making French Toast, I had asked Sarah to help me come and get things, as Percy did. So, I didn't really take too much notice of when Percy handed something to Sarah and asked her to bring it to me. Without looking, I had taken it, thinking it was the egg I needed.

And I gasped and almost dropped it when I found a ring box, with my dream ring inside.

It didn't take long until we had private wedding at Camp, where Thalia was happily my maid of honor despite Artemis's objections.

Life went on. Sarah grew up. And we finally got our careers in order, much later than in the other life and with many more hard times, Percy with a small company called _Rift Raft Boards_ and me with an architecture company with my brother, Malcolm. We had never really discussed another child, we never had _time_.

But, right before I turned thirty, I got pregnant with a daughter. And we were as excited as if we had planned for another child.

We had Olive, and we adopted a son, Hercules, a few years later.

And we were… _happy_.

Almost all the way through.

Sure, sometimes we would wonder what would be happening if we hadn't gotten pregnant young with Sarah. And there were a lot of hard times, times where you would almost think it would break you.

But we were happy.

Suddenly, just as I was talking to my infant granddaughter, who happened to be Olive's daughter, I was brought back to looking at Aphrodite.

"This life is much harder, but…" Aphrodite trailed off.

I nodded, placing my hand on my stomach, as I tried to think it all over.

"You can make your choice, Annabeth," Aphrodite snapped her fingers, and she slowly faded, leaving me alone in a parking garage.

And I looked back to the elevator and then to the car.

I was happy either way, right?

And I got my daughter, and Percy, and two other children in the end.

So, which did I want to choose?

Daughter and harder life?

Easier life and get daughter later?

And then I made my choice.

It didn't take me long to get where I was going.

Or maybe it did.

But I couldn't think about time.

It seemed completely irrelevant compared to the idea of having a daughter, of the choices I now had to make.

I kept thinking of it, of what I had now chosen. Of the life I had officially given of. Of the happiness that I had given up from certain aspects of my life. Of the things that I would never feel. And of the pain that I wouldn't feel either.

And then the elevator door dinger open, showing me a boy mashing the button to go down.

Then he looked at me, and he froze, his mouth forming an 'O'.

"Percy."

Before I could even think to say anything else, I stepped out of the elevator, and he wrapped his arms tightly around me as he took deep breaths, as if trying to calm himself down.

"I thought you were gone," his salty tears wet my neck, and I let my tears fall, smiling into his neck.

I had thought about leaving.

About getting my career and the live I always wanted and still getting the family I wanted.

But it all seemed to petty now.

As he held me close, crying as he thought about losing me, I realized that I also couldn't lose him. That the pain I had felt in the other life was too much when I could easily have this. This perfect moment, where nothing could ever be better really.

And I haven't even had the baby yet.

"So did I."

* * *

><p>The End.<p>

* * *

><p>Thank you all for reading! I love you guys! And I hope you check out my next story, The Jabberjay, which is a sequel to <em>No One Cry<em>! You readers have been wonderful! I am _so_ lucky!


End file.
